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scintillyyy · 5 months

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the steph brown conundrum aka the problem with steph being a character with hugely divergent doylist and watsonian readings

okay, so like. there is always a part of me that feels that to this day, didio kind of won when it came to the destruction of steph's character. like she wasn't a toxic character like he thought before he got his hands on her, but since he did & there was fallout from it, it has completely destroyed dc's desire to do anything potentially interesting with her, even as they've brought her back. like. she will always just kind of be a shell of her former self, doomed to stay uncontroversial and in the background. because when it comes to steph, and the problem with utilizing steph as a character now, you have to acknowledge two things

steph from an editorial and out of universe perspective was treated horrifically. the nonsensical and terrible things they made her do to move along the plot of post-crisis are awful and excessively reckless to the point of intentional character assassination & it was all done to justify her fridging for bruce's (and tim's) manpain which is awful

but the things that steph did as a result of the above are extremely load-bearing and important on plot and character dynamics and motivations from war games all the way to reborn era & to try and remove or minimize things that happened as a result of those actions just because they were arguably out of character from her has the unfortunate result of completely and intentionally warping the characterization of everyone who interacts with her to the point where it negatively affects almost every single other character instead.

so in order to show this we need to start at war games, talk about what happened, & go into how this affects things & why her character assassination is not as easy to fix as cass's or leslie's

so war games. ah war games. you know, having recently reread it, war games is frustrating because it's arguably a semi good event for most everyone except steph and leslie (especially leslie--now that was character assassination.). so let's get into the bare bones of what exactly happens in war games (war games being the three main events of this time: war drums (the prequal), war games proper, & war crimes (the follow up & worst part of the event)) (and i'm not saying i necessarily agree with this, just. this is what we have to consider.)

war drums:

this event has two main stories - the bruce & leslie story and the steph becomes robin story

in the bruce & leslie story (which is definitely racist), we have a young teenage pregnant girl who shows up at leslie's clinic having been shot. leslie attempts to save the girl and baby, but is left in a precarious situation where only one can be saved. she reluctantly calls bruce for help finding the girl's family, who finds out that the girl in question is popstar l'shea's sister--the popstar and her entourage in question kidnap leslie & the girl & bruce finds them, where it's revealed the girl is actually l'shea's daughter (like i said. racist.). l'shea makes the decision to save the baby, which kills the girl. leslie tries to get bruce to see that he can't save everyone, and ultimately gets upset about the cycle of violence she feels he perpetuates when he goes to take mr. freeze back in. she later comes to talk to bruce & it ends on a positive note fairly consistent with the bruce & leslie relationship--one in which leslie wishes he could devote himself to saving lives nonviolently & hoping he could see her as an example. my only quibble is that bruce responds as "ha-ha" leslie when if you compare to the batman chronicles #18, bruce absolutely counts on her to challenge his worldview & be a shining example of what he cannot be.

we do start to see the seeds of character assassination for leslie here imo, though this part is the best understanding of her by far--she's always been a foil to bruce as far as her pacifism and her determination to try and show him that there are other ways than his crusade, but traditionally she's always been defined as well by her immense love for him & he for her. she fundamentally disagrees with his crusade, but she's going to be there for him because she knows there's good in him that's worth saving--because to leslie, every life, including bruce's, is worth saving. anyways, read the batman chronicles #18, where she's determined to use O- blood on zsasz because of her firm commitment to the belief that every life is precious & she and bruce talk about their differences in opinion but how she's determined to keep showing him there's another way & he wants her to do so. this leslie who has, up until this event, been troubled by his crusade--but has decided it's tireless, but worth it to show him the good in people, suddenly seems a lot more, hm. overtly hateful of how batman operates & the fact that he puts criminals back in prison just for them to break out and the cycle to continue & has a sudden desire to not work with him if at all possible because of her total disagreement with his methods. which is. hm. somewhat but not entirely consistent with leslie's motivation. leslie would have no problem asking bruce for help if it meant saving an innocent & the fact that he believes in the redemption of criminals is something she inherently believes in. anyways i digress-

the other main story is, as we all know, the steph becomes robin story. and while you do not have to agree with how it is written wrt stephanie, the barebones of what exactly transpires is thus: tim has quit robin for his dad. he is attempting to live a normal life--go to school, hang out with friends, & not do the vigilante thing even when he sees people in need. he meets up with steph, who tells him of her determination to return to spoiler now that her broken leg has healed & he tells her that it's very hard for him to leave the house on account of jack always being suspicious that he's going out to be robin & be involved in anything vigilante again (it is implied that this is the first time he had been able to get out in a while because of his dad, as he didn't know she got her cast off). one day, when tim is at school, darla aquista, who has a crush on him, kisses him out of the blue. this happens to be seen by steph, who is now officially active again & chooses to be active during the day as a result of wanting to avoid batman as she doesn't have his approval, has gone over to tim's school to check on him because she's suspicious he's hiding something from her other than he's basically under house arrest from his dad atm since it had been so long since she had seen him. it, of course, looks terrible to her and she flounces off--deciding that she's going to become robin. bruce agrees, which everyone--alfred, barbara, eventually tim, etc completely understands to be a scheme to lure tim back. steph proceeds to completely ghost tim for the next two months--he calls and leaves messages, and she never calls back or comes to see him at all--she is completely radio silent & avoiding him and he doesn't know why but he is worried. bruce tells stephanie that she will not be privy to any secrets & the minute she disobeys an order she's out (a double standard, yes, but completely consistent in that he, again, is using her basically only to lure tim back). meanwhile, scarab is hunting tim, killing boys in his age range with dark hair and their families in an attempt to kill robin as there is a contract out for his life. tim then finds out through the newspaper that the reason steph has been avoiding him is because she became robin & calls the batcave to finally talk to steph & ask her to meet so they can finally talk in perso. about what exactly happened and how on earth steph became robin. cassandra comes instead--steph doesn't show up because batman and robin are busy hunting scarab who is trying to kill tim/previous robin & tim needs to be put under protection. steph gets a tracking device on scarab. day 49, bruce and steph go to get scarab, bruce goes in while steph is let behind for support in the batplane, bruce gets blinded, steph disobeys bruce and comes in to help, steph gets caught by scarab, scarab gets away in the batplane because steph forgot to arm the security system. steph officially gets fired 3 weeks later for disobeying an order on day 71.

yea, it's something. but it is what it is.

war games:

so we get to war games proper. overnight, a gang war has erupted & set the city ablaze and into chaos after a letter was sent out calling all the crime bosses to the harbor where a firefight breaks out on account of the main player who was supposed to be there if those letters were sent out, matches malone, not showing up. since tensions are high, it's easy for then to start shooting and killing each other & in doing so creates an immediate and widespread vacuum of power in the criminal underworld of gotham that people leap to try to fill & wipe out their competition in the meantime. innocent people are caught in the crosshairs.

nightwing (who is already having a terrible time) shows up to help (with tarantula) & is personally dealing with the emotional fallout of letting tarantula kill blockbuster amongst other things.

barbara is doing her best to help out and triage people to help, but there's really only batman, batgirl, nightwing, tarantula, & orpheus against a whole city. and at this point, tarantula has taken over a gang under batman's command to try and control things and can't overtly help & orpheus was already in control of a gang under batman's command in an attempt to protect women & children and exert some control over the criminal underbelly of gotham and also cannot overtly help out.

stuff with hush is happening in gotham knights but i don't care aj lieberman, by god, i do not care.

tim is doing his best to go about his day and keep his promise to his dad and not go out to help despite the fact that the city is falling apart. this becomes harder when a rival gang comes to kill his friend darla aquista at their high school, on account of her father being a mob boss. the kids are panicked and run into the school for sanctuary and safety, but are followed in and darla is shot.

what happens next is that tim's school is taken over by gangsters--the ones who came to kill darla, and the ones who see the opportunity to kill the ones who are trying to kill darla--and the kids are trapped in there with them, doing their best to hide, but some are taken hostage & are at the mercy of their captives (kids are killed). tim shelters in the nurses's office & does his best to go out and help who he can bring to safety, alone with getting a lay of the school (which gang is where).

meanwhile, bruce, cass, & dick have been informed that tim's school is taken over and kids are dying. along with all their other current trauma, they have to go find tim in an active shooter zone where he could very well be dead. dick gets to be the one who finds him (such a traumatic time for dick btw), and he's thankfully okay. they get control back of the school and free the kids. batman comes out on live television holding darla's body--she's not dead yet, but she's close.

we find out where steph is. selina finds her and we finally find out why this happened: upset at getting fired and frustrated that she's never been able to truly land their approval, steph lashed out & stole a plan designed to unite the crime families in gotham under batman's control hoping that if she was able to set off a plan for batman & it worked he would take her back and she'd finally have his approval. however, the main man didn't show up and it fell to pieces--doomed to fail. and the reason that this all happened is because steph was never told that batman is matches malone. there's actually a ton of 'bruce what have you done' here. catwoman shelters steph & tells her to stay put. steph does not do so, she leaves so she can try to find orpheus & help get the situation under control because she knows he's key to the plan.

tim, unable to stand by any longer despite his promise to his dad after the thing at the school, returns to the manor where he is greeted by alfred & returns to being robin.

batman finally also realizes that what happened is his war game contigency plan/hypothetical/thought experiment just as a citywide blackout hits--a plan he never intended to implement, it was one of his hypotheticals. & they also start looking for orpheus, as he's the key because they need to keep him alive as the plan was for the criminal underworld to reform united under his, and therefore batman's, rule.. steph finds him first, just in time to see his throat slit--by black mask.

steph gets into a one v one altercation with black mask and is overpowered and at his mercy. he tortures her. it's gross, we all know.

tim tells his dad he's returned to being robin. we get what is probably some of the best jack drake charactetization. tim meets jack and dana so they can go help out at leslie's clinic to help the injured.

steph, eventually, after being tortured, finally tells black mask that the plan required orpheus and is now obsolete because orpheus is dead.

cass is looking for steph because she's probably the only one aware that steph is out as spoiler & she knows that the last time she saw steph steph was lying to her about something

leslie is currently acting extremely out of character. and she's kind of a jerk to cass when cass comes looking for steph & is downright hateful about his mission. (which. is ooc for leslie--while she's never agreed with bruce's mission she's always, always, loved and respected them all--consider her in NML vs here. she wants to end his crusade and him to do something better, but she's always looking to be a beacon of hope that there is another way. every disagreement should be steeped in her love for them).

hush is still here for some reason and will tell black mask where the batcave is

catwoman is concerned about steph--who has passed out from the torture--calling her "the kid you messed up so badly she started this whole mess"

batman takes over oracle's & the police's system by force. we're really in it now. steph wakes up, determined to get to batman to tell him about orpheus's death.

black mask, however, has taken over orpheus's identity and is contacting batman, ostensibly to continue the "plan". and darla officially dies, meaning her father is out for revenge and wants everyone killed.

batman meets up with black mask as orpheus & figures out spoiler was there, but he assumes she fought zeiss. he leaves, black mask is planning...something as orpheus.

batman has barbara take over the police waves once more. barbara is getting really sick if this shit.

gotham city is starting to rail against vigilantes as a result of the widespread chaos of war games, calling for them to turn themselves in.

batman has orpheus call a grand meeting. ostensibly to end things and ensure peace in gotham with everything unified under orpheus's commands. orpheus is, however, dead. black mask uses the meeting to set everything ablaze again & barbaba has to call off the vigilantes from helping to protect the gcpd to go help batman--this is the straw that breaks the camel's back of this causes an official break in the uneasy alliance between vigilante & gcpd and comissioner akins gives the order to shoot to kill vigilantes on sight (as also, as a result of the plan failing due to orpheus's murder it seems as if batman et al are on the side of the villains causing mayhem)

at this point the game it out of control & they have to focus on stopping it. cass finally has a chance to talk to batman and tell him her suspicions that steph was the one who set the entire thing into motion, which he has now figured out (on account of him finding traces of spoilers's at orpheus's)

dick gets shot in the leg by the police while fighting firefly

tim meanwhile is happy to return to robin, and actually has bunch of nice things to say about steph's time as robin--that she kept things light for bruce, that he's not too proud to learn from her--even if he did admittedly resent her a little bit for how it all went down. he's also currently in the middle of a breakdown over darla's death and is pretending everything's okay by just go go going.

steph has freed herself from her bonds and gets into it with black mask, finally overpowering him when she realizes "this isn't a game". she gets a gun to his head & wants to pull the trigger and end him for good, but can't--as that would mean betraying everything she's been taught. the hesitation costs her and black mask gets the gun and shoots her in the shoulder & kicks her down the stairs & leaves

she manages to get herself up despite her extensive injuries and escapes by rooftop, where she's finally found by batman, who brings her to leslie and begs her to save steph. he then tells her she did good & that she did everything she could & that the city owes her after everything she went through.

and black mask is still causing trouble--hush supposedly told him the location of the batcave & he plans to solidify his reign as the undisputed crime lord of gotham by sending everyone there--it's not the batcave, however--it's the clocktower. all the criminals are now converging on and headed for directly for barbara. they get in and make it past all her defenses and invade her safe space, black mask making it to her control room & taking her hostage. the gcpd also descend upon the clocktower.

batman goes ham and almost kills black mask, saying it'd be worth it to end everything that's transpired. tim creates a diversion by lying saying they'll turn themselves into the police. barbara blows up her clocktower so that bruce has to make the decision between saving her & killing black mask. bruce chooses to save her & it's over. bruce gets called to leslie's clinic, where it turns out steph had too much internal damage to save her. steph tells him that she started it all, and bruce says he knows but that they took care of it. he tells her that tim isn't mad at her and that the baby she had won't want for anything ever. he lies and says that taking her on as robin wasn't just to bring tim back, that she was really robin & that he'll be watching over her. she dies. black mask takes over as the new criminal overlord of gotham city.

as a result of all of the above, we get the following: gotham is no longer safe for vigilantes to operate. tim has been set in motion on the path of loss from darla to steph to his dad in another event that will eventually lead him to the mental space he needs to be in to become red robin and leaves for bludhaven. cass follows in her grief of all that transpired. dick is out of commission due to his gunshot wound & dealing with the fallout of working with bruce while feeling like he doesn't deserve to, but is also the only one left to work with bruce. barbara, whose safe haven was trampled upon and destroyed, feels gotham to go be with the birds of prey in another city. bruce is operating all but alone, save for a couple of other distant vigilantes.

we find out that bruce didn't--couldn't--tell tim steph had died until hours after the fact, and that's when tim was finally able to hear the whole story as to how steph became robin all the way to how the gang war got started. this is also when dick finds out the whole story as well.

and thus, war games ends

war crimes:

so we make our way to the epilogue of this storyline. the very aptly named war crimes

the public is still railing against vigilantes. it comes out publicly that stephanie brown was spoiler, then robin, and that her injuries were not thus that should have killed her. batman finds out and goes to leslie's to find out who leaked stephanie's information, only to find out leslie has resigned and her chief resident left with her. batman finds the resident, murdered in a clear attempt to set batman up. (it's black mask setting him up). a man named aaron black is railing against black mask, batman, & the gcpd for the gang war

we find out that treatment was deliberately withheld from stephanie and she was purposely left to die. we find out aaron black is the not so dead arthur brown. & we find out that crystal knows something and is prepared to spill it all. black mask comes dressed as batman to attack crystal brown on live tv. we find out the joker is after black mask for killing robin. the joker gets arrested, black mask gets arrested (and escapes), a tv reporter gets indicted, the leader of the odessa mob gets indicted, commissioner akins and athur brown don't get indicted, and batman has finally figured out who killed stephanie and goes to africa where she fled to.

in, quite possibly, the greatest moment of character assassination in this entire gd event we find out it was leslie who let stephanie die because she was tired of batman's crusade, destroying everything she once stood for just to prove a point to bruce about the senselessness of it all and to try and put an end to it. congrats to dc for this horrific epilogue.

so there it is--the entire event. it certainly is a thing that happened. and that's the problem--it happened. and it was very, very much intended as a personal fuck you and goodbye to the characters of stephanie brown and leslie thompkins. and that's terrible on so many levels. but unfortunately the fact of the matter is, despite that and regardless of any personal feelings about it, war games became a load-bearing event to batman canon.

because war games had so much influence on fundamentally upheaving and changing the status quo of the characters involved and storylines following this could not happen without war ganes existing. without war games, tim does not become the tim that will eventually become red robin. without war games, dick is not injured and out of commission and does not flee to new york and the mob, leaving bludhaven for tim and cass and on his passively suicidal mission that will eventually lead to infinite crisis and the one year boat ride. without war games, barbara does not leave gotham because she needs to leave it behind, only to return during the reborn era & all the tension that entails. without war games, bruce doesn't end up alone & isolated as needed for the red hood storyline. without war games, stephanie is not killed and thus can't be evolved into batgirl as an apology for the way she was treated. the dynamics caused by war games are essential to the stories that come after it. and then you're left with two very, very uncomfortable truths:

one, war games was a horrific fuck you and. fridging to a female character solely because of the evil sexism present at dc editorial at the time and of course you want to delete anything that had such awful intentions behind it

two, war games happening is essential to the trajectory of every single bat characters' story that comes after it including hers. and so it had to happen. and the thing with war games is that steph, while not completely to blame for it transpiring, was humongous part of it transpiring no matter what. because we end up with what it seems to me, the grand circle of blame. it goes as follows: war games never would have happened if bruce hadn't made his contingency plan to begin with -> yes, but. even if it is one of bruce's toxic traits to do that, he never intended for the contingency to go into effect and it was more of a hypothetical than anything and the only reason it ever saw the light of day was because steph stole it and put it into action -> yes, but. if bruce had been less of an asshole and told steph the basic information of matches malone is batman she wouldn't have made the mistake -> yes, but. to completely blame bruce is to remove any and all agency from steph, because nobody put a gun to her head and forced her to implement the plan, that was entirely her decision. and as much as we would have liked her to have decided she no longer needed batman's approval, the fact of the matter is she did want it and she did make the decision to send those letters -> yes but, if bruce hadn't had a contigency to begin with she wouldn't have had such an awful plan to steal -> yes, but having contigencies for plans that will never come to fruition is honestly a normal thing for them and bruce planning out a hypothetical is just another tuesday, and it was steph who set it into motion -> yes, but... and so on and so forth endlessly until the end of time. like, whether things were out of character or whatnot is a valid discussion (though all comics characters are doomed for stories where they're out of character), but putting that aside: the fact is, for every character's trajectory into the reborn era, war games had to happen. and for war games to have ever seen the light of day and happened, steph had to make the decision to send those letters.

and so we're left with this. steph made those decisions because of horrificly sexist behind the scenes decisions. if steph didn't make those decisions, then no other character trajectory makes sense. and that's how we end up with a steph conundrum that is so much harder to fix than any other character assasination of the time. because cass's was easy to retcon as brainwashing, it makes sense for slade being involved. leslie was easy to retcon as faking steph's death, that removes her intent to kill a child and restores her original characterization of every life is sacrosanct. but war games? war games does not and can not happen unless stephanie decides to send those letters. things with tim and barbara and cass and even through steph becoming batgirl don't happen unless steph sends those letters. and when she sends those letters, hundreds of innocent people die and even though bruce is largely to blame (and is blamed, by the narrative), there is a culpability of steph's active decision in the entire mess that exists.

and if that culpability exists, if she sent those letters and war games happened, and innocent people died and barbara had to blow up her home and tim had to do cpr with darla's blood pouring over his hands and dick got shot in the knee and had to find tim in an active massacre, and cass lost herself to grief, then from an in-universe perspective while it's easy to for them to blame bruce for the majority of it, it also is true that every single one of those people has the right to question whether she is capable of making good judgements because of the extremely bad one she made that had so many in-universe consequences & they were all victims of it. from an out of universe perspective, it is so, so, so hard to put that kind of culpability on her, though, because of the sexism involved in deciding to make her make those decisions.

(as an aside. you also get this same issue that occurs as a part of the last arc of the robin series--wherein in order to justify steph no longer being spoiler and graduate her to batgirl, they need her to make a mistake so bad it would justify the idea that spoiler is a tainted mantle & she can't go back to it--so they decide that she needs to hire assassins to try and kill tim under batman's orders. now this is stupid & nonsensical, and she makes a mistake like that due to writer sexism thinking that that was the way to go. but her making that mistake and hiring those assassins is essential to the overall self isolation of tim & him being unable to trust her amongst everyone else that he needs to be in the headspace to kick of red robin & steph needs to have made a mistake that taints the spoiler mantle & makes people not want her to be it otherwise why would she become batgirl... it's messy. very messy.)

but because of all the horrific sexism out of universe behind the decision to write her to do these things, you're left with. hm. it is hard to want to make her have any culpability because that would just be entrenching the sexist writing she's had & she was the biggest victim, but to just completely throw it out is to make every other character appear completely irrational and unreasonable when it comes to dealing with steph. and that's truly hard for dc--who, once they make her a headlining character in her own right as batgirl, now has to be a lot more careful when dealing with steph. because if any other character does have reasonable concerns about steph continuing to exist as a vigilante after the decisions she made that sparked off war games, or hire assassins for tim, or etc etc etc then you risk people being like "no, maybe these people have a point. maybe these people shouldn't have to work with her if they feel at all uncomfortable by decisions she made that resulted in truly terrible times for them."

so you end up. dc finally has to do something grand, something triumphant for stephanie's character to make up for the completely atrocious way she was treated before. and you get batgirl 2009, which is a triumph for her character, it's the approval she's always deserved but never given, she finally gets to show all her naysayers that she's worth it--that they were all wrong about her and she deserves to be there just as much as them. and she does deserve a big doylist apology--she was treated terribly & cruelly & it wasn't right for dc editorial to do so. but you run into. hm. this problem of in order to make this big doylist apology work, you need everything that came before it to have happened. because it's a big doylist apology you can't actually have it that those things to have happened because if steph has to prove herself to the naysayers, the naysayers have to be completely wrong about her.

and that's hard given we're in reborn era and bruce is "dead". because in that case, steph's naysayers have to be barbara, tim, & dick. and while steph shouldn't have to prostrate herself for forgiveness & they shouldn't blame her for everything ever (they've all had their own issues where they've made mistakes, some with tragic consequences, and therefore can't call the kettle black), the problem with having to make them her naysayers is that you have to make them unreasonable about her & that's hard to do when they were all victims of something that occurred in part due to a decision she made. you have barbara, who should be able to have reasonable concerns about whether steph is fit for the job because she had to blow up her own sace space because steph sent those letters. but you can't acknowledge that because that would be entrenching the sexism behind that decision. so you make it so barbara is the one in the wrong about her. you have dick, who should not be able to look at stephanie without remembering his little brother calling him, wanting to commit suicide over everything that's happened, without remembering the tim at the edge of the pit, without remembering getting the call-code 619-and realizing that tim's at the site of a massacre occurring at his school and could be dead, and he gets to realize he was completely wrong about her with no consideration to what complicated personal feelings he may have about her on account of his own most precious relationships. you have tim, who does have things to apologize to her about, to be sure, but has to be cast as completely in the wrong despite the things she did having to have happened such as hire assassins & everything he had to endure as a result of her sending those letters. and that's not to say that any of this means that she shouldn't be a vigilante of course, you can't have a double standard where male characters are allowed to make mistakes and continue on regardless of mistakes made and not afford that same grace to female characters. but at the same time, it's uncomfortable to cast barbaba, dick, and tim in the role of naysayers to be overcome because that erases their victimization by the events that had to have happened in order to make it to this point. and again, they don't have to blame her to feel like it's her fault to have reasonable discomfort because discomfort =/= blame, necessarily.

and you get into this entire mess solely because of the decisions didio made because he hated her character and was determined to destroy it. and it's gross! we hate didio! but like. way back to my original thought, in a way, he did succeed a little. because of the horrific things that happened to her due to cruel and gross out of universe editorial decisions, you do have to be extra delicate with the character. you've lost the ability to show steph making any sort of mistake that has significant ramifications because to do so is to go back to war games & all the baggage that that entails. you need to play it incredibly safe with her. she can't be shown to be in the wrong because of the horrific way she was treated. at the same time, you need things to have happened, but you need things to not have happened. it's just a lot of baggage for a character, and there's probably a reason why they still play it safe by sticking her with tim (until they broke up) and now cass. it's uncontroversial after everything she's been put through. idk. i think current continuity is the best chance to finally really do something interesting with her again given that the mistakes of the past are so softened and don't need to be forefront to the character anymore because we are in an era ripe for things happened but they didn't happen, but will they? i don't know.

#anywho this is probably super incoherent #but this is also the thing i rotate in my mind when i think about steph #this is why i like to envision steph as an unreliable narrator of bg #because then you have more space for the fact that others were also victims and they're not necessarily unreasonable #but since steph is also extremely traumatized and a victim of horrific things she has to not thing about the ramifications of her decisions #or something idk

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gotham-daydreams · 8 months

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what would have happened if reader actually snapped at one of the batfam before they leave, causing the batfam to investigate their room and notice the readers life way before they leave?

Honestly if that did happen I don't think the reader would even get the chance to reach their friend's place.

Once the reader snaps, you know a whole dump of shit the Batfam has done to them in the past is just going to come pouring out. So depending on the person, the initial reaction would be different, if only slightly?

Bruce would go to Alfred before going to your room, the events being similar to how he ends up going to the reader's room in "Not Here", but instead, Bruce asks if he has actually done the things that the reader mentioned. With Alfred responding in his usual sassy, but to the point manner.

Dick would be frozen in place before trying to reach out and talk to the reader- only for them to harshly shove him with strength he didn't even know they had, and that keeps him in place for a while as they storm off. He decides that he'll check their room and ask Alfred — and which ever he comes across first, is what he ends up doing, before moving on to the other thing. Though either way, he ends up in the reader's room eventually.

Jason would be speechless at first, then annoyed a little bit. He's barely around, why should he get all this shit because the rest of the family have been unintentional assholes to the reader?... Then, he thinks about it... since he's clearly shown up enough to still help with fucking up the reader- especially to the point of them blowing up. So, he'd look in their room to investigate first, before asking Alfred any questions.

Tim just wouldn't know what to do. He'd stand there stupidly, mostly confused and shocked himself as he does try to reach out for the reader, but it's already too late. They reached the front door and left. Just like that. However, he doesn't waste much time and immediately starts his investigation. He might call Alfred while he's searching the reader's room, or even when he's on the way there, so that way he can multi-task and find out more about the reader quicker.

Cass is hurt, and does unintentionally let the reader go as they leave, but takes a minute before doing anything. She's in disbelief, but the pain done to the reader is so clear that she feels stupid how she didn't see it before. Even in their anger she could see the anguish and betrayal all over their body, and it pains her as much as the reader's words did. It takes her a minute to process anything, but afterward she searches for Bruce, Tim, and Alfred so that she can possibly get some answers. It's only after does she go to the reader's room.

Damian would be more confused than anything. (And let's be honest, out of everyone- he'd get the least of it. Mostly because he's so young and yeah, anger is unrational at times, I feel like in comparison to everyone else, who are worse offenders because they're older and have been influencing Damian's behavior towards the reader (albeit unintentionally), he just wouldn't get as much anger or anything directed towards him. Whereas with everyone else? Eh- I can't exactly say that's the case.) However, he would at least make an effort to ask Bruce, Dick, and or Alfred about the reader and how his and everyone else's behavior has effected them. Along with if they've noticed certain things about them and such. Only going to the reader's room with one of the three already accompanying him.

As for Babs and Steph...

Barbara would try to get the reader to calm down so that they could further talk- only to get ignored. She'd immediately try to talk to Bruce or Alfred, maybe even Dick or anyone she comes across before heading into the reader's room. Just considering it, before deciding that someone should do it, if someone else hasn't already.

Stephanie would also need a minute, before looking for people and making calls to the rest of the Batfam. Hurt and freaked out for how badly the Batfam as treated the reader, and what the reader might do now.

On the off chance that the reader blows up on Alfred, he just takes it before finally deciding that something should really be done. So if the reader blowing up at someone else doesn't light the fire immediately, he will do it for them.

Regardless of how it starts or who the reader ends up blowing up at- things hit the fan pretty fast.

Again, the reader doesn't even manage to make it to their friend's place before getting confronted, and basically cornered.

The moment the family finds out about all they can from the reader's room, it plays out similarly to "Not Here" except if you skip the part where they search the Manor, and instead go straight to Gotham. They find the reader easily since they're out in the open (and promptly ignore how they almost missed the reader, but the person who suffered the brief wrath of the reader was able to recognize them, so they had to do a double take to confirm). However things don't go great, maybe even arguably worse in comparison to Part 3 seeing as the reader hasn't had time to really cool down, and is already sick of the Batfam.

It just goes as terribly as you'd expect, and hey, maybe if a few of the wrong buttons are pushed, certain things happen instead of others. But if they're left alone, maybe the reader will get a bit of breathing space before it's inevitable invaded again.

Either way they'd be pushy, clingy, and would not leave the reader alone for a second- maybe even having them discuss parts of their life, along with certain events that have happened to them, so it can feel like the Batfam and the them are 'bonding'. (Even if the reader is very uncomfortable, in reality, and just ready to leave- but the Batfam is basically nailing them in place by staying close and invading their personal space.)

The Batfam becomes a part of the reader's everyday life as they don't want to miss a single day ever again. Not one. Even if the reader doesn't 'live' in the mansion anymore, but they'll move back in eventually, surely. The Batfam will take care of it either way.

With everything and anything the reader does, they'll find a way how to be there one way or another. But if they get too impatient? I'm sure you can imagine what happens from there.

Tldr: Things still go horribly, but just much faster than normal! :]

I hope this answered your question! If you'd like for me to clarify on anything or go into more detail on a specific thing I mentioned, feel free to send an ask! If anyone else has another question or anything or the sort, feel free to do the same!

#talking daydreams #platonic yandere batfam #yandere batfam #gn reader #sibling reader #yandere dc #yandere x gn reader #platonic yandere #neglected reader

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mangoisms · 7 months

Text

circle k (back to you)

summary: in which you're just the graveyard shift employee at circle k bombarded by vigilantes.

━ chapter twelve: back to you | read chapter eleven

━ pairing: tim drake x f!reader

━ word count: 5k

━ warnings: none

━ masterlist

━ a/n: the final part <3 my end notes if you'd like <3

ten months later

“Hey, you two. Where’s your aunt?”

“Having an existential crisis on the trampoline,” you hear Irey respond matter-of-factly.

“She’s no fun anymore,” Jai adds.

“Well, Bart just got here so—woah!”

Even you can feel the sharp gust of wind the twins create as they zoom off to see their cousin. Bart Allen runs at a million miles per hour—metaphorically and literally, so he and the twins get on like a house on fire.

Good thing everyone turned out for you and Steph’s pre-graduation party, otherwise Wally, Jay, and Max would have their hands full trying to make sure the three of them didn’t bring the house down.

And when you say everyone came, you really mean everyone.

That’s sort of the problem.

Barry Allen and Iris West-Allen were pleasant as always when they arrived—fifteen minutes late, the tardiness Barry is prone to considerably mitigated by his wife’s urging—and gave you big hugs in congratulations when they saw you.

“Well, early congratulations,” Barry amends, smiling.

“I just wish we could be there, too,” Iris says, letting you go.

You wave her off. Barry had a mission with the JL on the day of and Iris’s book tour was just starting, so there was no extra time to spare.

“No, it’s okay. Wally and Linda are already going, so that’s enough.”

“We’ll be there in spirit,” Barry says, grinning as Iris rolls her eyes. “Literally.”

Referring to the speed force and the way it tethers both speedsters and lightning rods. So, yeah, technically.

You chuckle. “Exactly. So, don’t worry.”

“We still wanted to give you our gift in person, though,” Iris says, passing you an envelope.

“You guys really didn’t have to but thank you.”

“‘Course we did,” Barry says. “You’re Wally’s… what is it? Close friend slash little sister slash niece? Us, well, we don’t mind seeing you as a niece.”

“Complicated labels aside,” Iris puts in, “you’re part of this family, too.”

And boy if that wasn’t going to choke you up.

You believe it now, almost a year since Wally revealed his identity; since then, you consider Keystone City and Central City as much of a home as Gotham. It was only inevitable that you met the others and you were lucky enough that they welcomed you with welcome arms.

But the ones part of this family are one and many. Not just the Garricks, not just the Wests, not just the Allens, not just Max Mercury, but—

“Ms. Chambers?”

Jesse Chambers grins at you. “Hey now, none of that. Here, Jesse works just fine. Pleasure to meet you. Everyone has had nothing but excellent things to say about you.”

Okay. Sure.

That bit is just a little obscured by your horrible confusion on how on earth she even knew everyone.

You have an inkling as to the answer but frankly, it feels impossible to believe. Not because you don’t think she is not capable of it but the fact that the whole billionaire-as-a-superhero/vigilante thing isn’t so uncommon as initially thought.

The confusion must be written all over your face. She laughs. Jay is at your side in the next instant, smiling at her in greeting.

“Sorry not to have told you sooner,” he tells you apologetically, though the smile pulling at his lips tells you he isn’t that sorry. “But we wanted to leave the decision up to her. And—”

“If you can keep these guys’ secret,” Jesse says, jerking a thumb to the kitchen, where Wally, Linda, Barry, and Iris are, “you can keep mine, too. Besides, you did great work during your internship. QE has had our eyes on you for a while.”

“Oh, you really don’t have to—”

“We want to,” she says. “We wouldn’t lose anything at all offering you a place with PR. But if you want to go somewhere else, that’s okay. I’d be happy to be a reference if so.”

Somehow, you managed to stammer out a thank you and get out of that situation without making a complete fool of yourself. Wally later told you Jesse taps into the speed force using an equation, which… sure, why not.

Jesse used to not like him, apparently, but recent events have allowed her to warm up to him; plus, the birth of her own son, Johnny Tyler, helped, too, that way Wade could have a friend to grow up with.

While all the others prepare dinner and attempt to keep Bart, Jai, and Irey’s shenanigans contained, you manage to snag a bit of time to yourself, not quite believing you’d just been offered a job by Jesse Chambers herself.

It’s all just… a little bit insane.

Then the twins came out and you indulged them on the trampoline in the backyard of the West house for a bit. Then you thought too hard about everything and sunk right back into your disbelief again.

Which leads to now.

“Speedsters, I swear,” Tim mutters.

You hear the soft sound of footsteps on the grass but make no move to leave from your place — star-fished on the trampoline, eyes closed. Early May in Keystone City is considerably warmer and tepid than Gotham City. You should shed your hoodie but you don’t want to. Mostly because it isn’t yours, exactly.

It’s Tim’s. The one you wore the night you got stabbed last year. Not the same one; that one was ruined beyond repair and anyway, you weren’t too happy to wear that exact one, either, since you nearly bled out in it. But it’s close enough. The same shade of brilliant azure. Big on Tim and baggy on you.

Of course, why should you want a hoodie when your boyfriend is right here?

The faint noise of the flaps of the netting be brushed aside. Then the trampoline itself moves, dipping with his weight as he comes over to you. You slide a bit, elbow bumping into his knee.

“So,” he starts, closer than before, one hand brushing your cheek as he tucks a few pieces of your hair behind your ear. “What’s this about an existential crisis? In the middle of the day?”

“It’s four in the afternoon.”

“Schematics.”

You grunt but don’t respond.

A soft chuckle. “Is this about Jesse Chambers’ offer? It’s too bad, you know.”

“What’s too bad.”

“Well, Wayne Enterprises was looking forward to offering you a position, too. And so were the Titans. And I can’t speak for this one personally but I’m fairly certain the Justice League was planning on sending an offer, too. You’re in high demand.”

You groan. “Isn’t that too much? I’m—I haven’t even graduated. There are so many other people with so much more experience—”

“Well, how are you supposed to get experience, too?” he asks, laughing softly. “Besides, you’re graduating with honors.”

“Oh, yeah, well, I’m sure it helps to have a boyfriend with an in at WE, who also just so happens to be a member of the Titans, on top of multiple people who are close to me that are also part of the Justice League.”

“And Jesse Chambers? Hers is the most reliable in that sense, then, isn’t it? Because she doesn’t personally know you—”

“But she knows Wally.”

“But their relationship isn’t that great. Sure, she’s good with Jay and Max but… You also have the advantage of having worked there briefly. They wouldn’t call you back if they didn’t like what they saw.”

Which is true. Jesse Chambers is a businesswoman. She wouldn’t do this as some pity play.

Then again, neither would the others.

You finally open your eyes, squinting immediately as the sun beams down at you.

Tim shifts, moving until his head can shield you from it, bringing him into your focus.

He’s smiling warmly at you, affection clear in his gaze; the sunlight does wonders for him, for his dark hair and blue eyes.

“This can’t be happening.”

“It is,” he says. “You’re graduating next week Friday. You and Steph. And no matter where you go and what you do, you’re gonna kick ass, you know that, right?”

You groan. “You’re supposed to say things like that.”

“Maybe,” he concedes. “But when I tell you I had nothing to do with the offer from WE, you have to believe me. You know I haven’t worked with them in a long while. That was all them.”

“Bruce?”

“Maybe Bruce.”

But then that’s ‘cause he feels… guilty about cornering you last year. Which serves him right. Your relationship with Tim’s adoptive father is a bit rocky, truth be told. Just because of the things Tim has told you. The things Steph has told you. And last year is certainly a factor. But all the others, you get along with them.

You don’t see Dick too often because he lives in New York but he’s kind. Jason’s cool when you see him. Cass and Duke are great. You hang out with them regularly on your own. Damian is a bit frigid but that’s just because of your choice in company and not anything personal, exactly, but you do get the advantage of also having Steph on your side, since they have a better relationship than he and Tim do. Alfred is pleasant as always, too; sometimes he sends grocery deliveries to you to make sure you’re sustaining on actual food and not just ramen.

Barbara Gordon is also very nice and volunteered to help you put together your resume and cover letters and applications; Jean-Paul Valley is kind, too. They’re both old family friends, you would learn. You have lunch with Helena Bertinelli once a month; you two bond over a mutual dislike for Batman and a mutual fondness for Tim—begrudging on her part sometimes but she undeniably sees him as a little brother and he sees her a big sister. And truthfully, your relationship with her is a bit similar.

You’ve made quite a few relationships with these vigilantes. Connections. So, you shouldn’t be surprised that all of this is happening. But one part of you, the prideful part, doesn’t like it. The other part, the rational one, says it was unavoidable. You were going to apply to QE and WE, anyway. Maybe toss out a few applications to the League and the Titans, too, just for the heck of it. Not expecting anything to come of it. Out of any of it.

But of course something would. You know too many of these people for nothing to happen.

“But then again,” Tim says a moment later. “Bruce is just attached to the company by name.”

“That is not a ‘just’ thing, Tim, that is a very big thing. They’d do whatever he wanted.”

“Not anything. Not if you didn’t have the grades, background, or potential to back it up.”

Also, technically, true.

“But like I said. Jesse’s is the most earnest in that regard.”

“Do you want me to leave Gotham, is that it.”

He laughs. The sound warms you.

“I don’t,” he chuckles. “I really don’t. I’d love for you to go with WE. But I also know that the news of us dating throws a wrench in that.”

Right. Ever since the gossip columns caught you two kissing on a date a couple months ago, they wouldn’t shut up about it. Only after digging their grubby little fingers into every inch of your past, of course, and using that to fuel the flames. Talking about your relationship with him as if you planned it, just trying to get a leg-up in the application process at WE.

But the thing is, objectively speaking, there isn’t anything wrong with that. You aren’t with Tim strictly for that purpose but you knew it would factor in. It’s undeniable, the way all these other offers are undeniable in who and why they came. You can’t help who you’re connected to.

But yeah. It would suck to prove all the tabloids right by accepting a job with WE right after graduation—like all of them said you would.

Of course, they would talk regardless. Even if you went with QE or the Titans or the Justice League. Wayne Enterprises is a known partner with Quickstart Enterprises, as well as a heavy funder for the League and the Titans. So…

You groan, wiggling closer to him by planting your head on his thigh and staring forlornly up at him. “What should I do?”

He smiles. “Whatever you want to, honey.”

“Yeah, that’s not really helpful, Timmy.”

He rolls his eyes fondly, bending down to scoop you into his arms. You let out a squeak as he pulls you into his lap, then you settle comfortably in the circle of his arms, dropping your head on his shoulder.

From here, you can spy the old bullet graze on the side of his neck, silvery and a little textured. Without a second thought, you lean forward to kiss it.

He shivers slightly, arms tightening around you.

You bite down a smile. “Cold?”

“Shut up,” he mutters, fingers digging into your side, making you giggle and try to squirm away from him.

He doesn’t keep up the torment, exhaling a soft laugh, too, as you lay your head back on his shoulder.

A cool breeze sweeps through the backyard. In the suburbs of Keystone City, it is quiet out here. Peaceful. Though you can still hear the others inside. Wally saying something. Steph laughing at it.

You’ve carved out a nice place for yourself here. The West’s and Garrick’s here in Keystone and the Allen’s over in Central.

You close your eyes, basking in Tim’s embrace and his proximity. You haven’t seen him much this month, with you and Steph in the throes of finals. But he promised to come, that he’d ask Bart to take him and his friend happily agreed.

You were surprised to learn of their relationship. That they had known each other. But they had met when they were younger, along with the rest of the original members of Young Justice. Put together because they were superhero kids. The relationship stuck. What a coincidence, that Bart Allen was part of the family you had quickly grown close to. But not unwelcome.

It is a small world, you would think.

Or maybe, when you feel indulgent, meant to be. You and Wally. You and Steph, you and Tim. All of this. Interconnected in ways you could only dream of. You don’t have to sacrifice much to have them together.

Tim squeezes your hip, one hand slipped underneath the hoodie. “What are you thinking about?”

That maybe this decision isn’t as hard as you thought it would be. That it’s not a matter of deliberation, is it?

You know you don’t want to prove all the tabloids right by going with WE immediately. Not to mention, for the longest time, it was a dream to work with them. You want more time, more experience, before you move there.

And you don’t think you are ready to jump head-first into working for the Justice League or the Titans. You need experience for that, too.

So…

“I’m pretty sure I could convince Wally to take me to Gotham to visit. When I start at Quickstart.”

“Not necessary,” he says and you raise an eyebrow, watching him pull back, his gaze warm, not at all surprised by your words. “I could just come and visit you. Unlimited access to the jet and all.”

“Racking up carbon emissions just for me?”

“You know the jet is clean energy,” he says, pouting a bit.

Yes, you do. He talked your ear off about it when they made the switch. But you just like seeing him get pouty about it.

You cup his cheeks, smiling, particularly taken with the way his whole face softens as he looks at you. The knowledge that he’s this soft for you is always so insane to you. Not at all good for your heart.

“I know. It’s still a bit of an expense, though, isn’t it?”

“It’s worth it.”

“Cornball.”

“I’m being serious,” he presses, hands tightening around your waist. “Whatever I have to do, it’s worth it for you.”

You know that. Tim is a devoted boyfriend. He doesn’t do things in halves. When he’s loyal to someone, when he dedicates himself, he does it wholly. You could ask him of anything and he would do whatever it took to get it for you, to do it for you. If you asked him to move with you, you know he would do it.

You also know the thought must’ve crossed his own mind. But he still won’t say anything, not unless he knows you want it, too, and… you do. You think that can wait, though, for a little while longer. Let you get settled in and then you two can discuss that possibility—if he wants to, of course, because while Wally and Linda do like him now, the former would not like having a Bat running underfoot in the city, in either of the cities.

You just aren’t used to that kind of devotion. Even after this long.

You slide your arms around his neck, threading your fingers in his hair. He leans into the touch. “I know.”

“I’ll take Steph when I can, too,” he adds and you smile again.

“I love you.”

He leans forward, forehead brushing yours. Your eyes flutter shut.

He nudges your nose with his, then finally closes the distance between you two.

Cotton-candy sweet warmth unspools in your chest he kisses you, soft and gentle. But it quickly edges into dangerous territory when you nip at his bottom lip and he yanks you closer and closer until there is no space between your bodies. It would be better if you weren’t wearing this hoodie but you make do with what you have, still able to feel most of his chest pressed to yours, hard and sturdy, heat licking up your spine.

Your fingers twine in his hair and he lets out a shuddery breath, the kiss turning open-mouthed in the next second and you can taste the gum he was chewing on earlier.

It’s a shade too hungry for your current location but you can’t help it, he’s just so… beguiling. You’re overwhelmingly attracted to your boyfriend and you think you always will be.

But of course, you still should know better, even with all that.

A sharp gust of wind hits you two in the next second and you both separate immediately, knowing exactly what—or who—it is. But instead of Wally or any other speedster here, a high-pitched giggle makes it to your ears and you both turn, eyebrows raising as you find one and a half year old Wade West now inside the trampoline, net fluttering behind him.

You and Tim turn to look at the back door, which is now open, Wally and Linda standing there; the former looks pleased, while the latter just raises her eyebrows.

“I thought,” he starts, mischief written on his face, “that instead of leaving space for Jesus, you could leave some space for Wade. So. Do that. And please stop desecrating the place my children play.”

“And come inside,” Linda adds. “Food’s almost ready.”

You slide off Tim’s lap, reaching for Wade before he tries to stand and walk over to you, not trusting his balance on the trampoline. Tiny hands grapple with the hoodie strings, tugging.

“Got it. Thanks.”

They both smile pleasantly and turn back inside.

You bite your lip, which already feels swollen from your kissing, and look at Tim. His face is flushed with red, lips swollen, too. A tempting sight.

He catches the look on your face. “Don’t.”

“It’s my graduation party.”

“It’s yours and Steph’s. Later.”

“You’re no fun.”

“Well, you love me, so what does that say about you?”

“That you’ve seduced me.”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh, I’ve seduced you, okay, sure—” he looks at Wade, shaking his head “—can you believe this?”

All Wade can do is giggle in response. All you can do is smile at him, so painfully in love.

He smiles back, rising up on his knees and leaning forward to kiss your forehead.

“I love you, too, you know.”

Yeah, you do know.

four years later

“Goddamit, where is it?”

Fish, a miniature Italian Greyhound you rescued from the shelter, offers no answer or help for your plight. Instead, she just sits near you, happy to follow you around as you search, watching you with big eyes. Big, empty eyes. Absolutely nothing goes on in her little head and you and Tim love her very much for it but damn if you wouldn’t appreciate a little help in finding the security badge that seems to have mysteriously disappeared.

It’s perfect timing, too. That badge is your lifeline. That’s what your supervisor, Meena, said anyway, a couple days ago when you went in for it and had a chance to speak with her before starting work. You can’t get into the tower without it. You can’t do anything without it and guest badges do not have the same amount of clearance that you have.

You stop in the living room, taking a breath, frustration starting to make you hot, which would be the icing on the cake, if you managed to sweat through your clothes before you even started work.

Sighing, you look at her. “Do you know where it is?”

A sound behind you.

“You should know better than that, honey,” comes the sleepy voice of your boyfriend, and you turn. “Fish is lucky to have a single coherent thought once a week and she wasted that one yesterday when she managed to give Damian the high five he asked for.”

You chuckle despite yourself, remembering the pleased gleam that had come into Damian’s hazel green eyes when Fish successfully completed the trick. Only after six months of painstaking work, of course, but it hardly deters him. Titus passed away not too long ago and he’s fixated on Fish because of it. Even if he says her name is ‘completely idiotic.’

Brushing away those thoughts, you focus on Tim, still sleepy-eyed and rumpled. Then you see it—in his hand is your security badge, your picture smiling up at you, with your name beneath it.

“Oh my god, where—”

“You gave it to me, remember?” he asks, laughing softly as you pad over to him. “And said to keep it with my gear, that way it wouldn’t get lost between then and now.”

True. All true. After all, that gear—that is, his suit and tech—doesn’t get brought out other than for the occasional mission with the Titans, so, say, every six months or so. Other than that, it remains hidden in a panel behind your side in the walk-in closet, accessible only by him and you through fingerprint and retinal scans.

Easiest way not to get lost, especially since you’ve been particularly harried in the lead-up to the official start of your job at Wayne Enterprises as their spokesperson.

“Sorry,” you sigh. “Is that why you’re up? Because I told you, you don’t need to wake up for this, you can stay in bed…”

He raises an eyebrow. “And let you freak out for the next hour and a half before you have to leave?”

“Um. Yes?”

A soft smile. He reaches for you, hands settling on your arms, rubbing small circles there.

“Well, you’re wrong. It’s your first day at WE.”

“I know, but you didn’t have to get up now at least…”

The original idea when you decided to wake up at five-fifteen is that one, it would give you ample time to get ready—both yourself and your belongings—and two, it would let you try to relax.

Key word being try.

It’s now six, you’re supposed to leave in an hour and fifteen minutes to beat the morning rush traffic, and your nerves are none the better for it.

Your sleep was fitful, too, in anticipation of today, so you’re starting to feel sleepiness creep in at the edges; the fact that the sun has not yet risen and won’t rise for a while—cursed winter months and their late sunrises—does not help.

He eyes you. “I think I do.”

You groan, dropping your forehead on his shoulder. “I can’t do this.”

He squeezes your arms. “Yes, you can.”

“No, I can’t. They’re going to eat me alive.”

If not for being the new girl, then certainly because your boyfriend was, actually, once major shareholder of the company when he was seventeen and no, it doesn’t matter that he was just a figurehead and Lucius was actually pulling the strings—it still happened and Tim worked closely with the company for several years after. And then, of course, it will also be because your boyfriend is the adoptive son of the man who owns the actual company.

Even if you waited before joining, even if you actually applied for the position! Yes, applied! Contrary to what a few tabloids are saying right now, you did not go up to Tim (or Bruce, depending on which gossip column you’re reading) and demand the job. You went through the same channels as absolutely anyone else would.

Tim ducks his head to press a kiss to your neck. You can’t help your shiver and you know he feels it by the way he smiles against your skin. “No, they won’t. That’s my job. They can’t take that away from me.”

“Now is so not the time—”

He laughs, pulling away; you do the same to look at him.

“You’re going to be fine, gorgeous. You had Linda and Iris regularly pressing you these last few weeks and you did very well with them. Not to mention your last two jobs…”

You purse your lips.

“Two years with Quickstart Enterprises,” he lists. “Two more with the Justice League. Still bitter you picked them over the Titans, by the way.”

“They were more hardcore. Sorry.”

“Well, see? You and the rest of the team had to salvage the League’s image after each alien invasion or otherwise massive destruction committed during a mission and you guys did it. I mean, the publicity campaign you came up with was brilliant, you know that, right? Support was the highest it’s ever been while you were there.”

Right… In an effort to better the League’s image with the public after a particularly nasty fight that left multiple city blocks destroyed and more questions about the relevancy of the team, you decided the more prominent League members needed to create more solid images for themselves, that way each time the public or news saw them, it wasn’t always about the latest incident that brought their presence in. To do this, they needed to pick something to sponsor or support and start showing for it. Superman took an interest in accessibility to education, Wonder Woman focused on preserving wildlife and ecosystems, along with world landmarks, and Batman—with immense detail and planning to abide by his stiff rule not to be seen before the masses—focused on rehabilitation programs.

It brought in a lot of good coverage as more Leaguers agreed to do it and it did help. Helped a lot. Not to say those in the League were not helping, of course, either suited up in their own cities or with their public personas, but that was the issue. The League was capable of much more destruction collectively than individually and the public didn’t know that Batman was funding hundreds of programs to help impoverished communities in Gotham, mostly because he did that as Bruce Wayne and that connection would never be made known.

But that was the job. And you did it. Excellently. You would’ve stayed on for a little while longer but then you got kidnapped towards the end and that just wasn’t fun.

(Fortunately, however, there was a clause in your signing contract that states that in the event of a kidnapping, the League is obligated to rescue you.

Fair is fair, you think, for helping maintain their image and ensure that the UN doesn’t pull the plug and that the public doesn’t completely despise them.)

And of course, if you managed to survive working with the League and being kidnapped because of that work, then you should be entirely prepared to take on Wayne Enterprises. It should be chump change, if anything, but again, you go in with preconceived notions about yourself and your reputation. Not so great.

But would you back out?

No way.

“I believe in you,” he murmurs, his gaze warm and reassuring. “All of us do. You know Steph does.”

A pause, everything falling silent, save for the snores coming from the guest bedroom, where Steph is asleep.

“I’m not missing your first day at WE,” she had said the night before. “So, you better wake me up before you leave.”

He grins a bit teasingly at a particularly loud snore. “Like a train, right?”

“Like you’re any better.”

“I am not that loud.”

“What is it with me and attracting people who snore?”

Honestly.

“Speaking of, you know Wally and Linda believe in you. You can do this. It’s just ‘cause it’s the first day. Get through it and everything will be better.”

Which is true. You know that. Have been repeating that in your head as today approached and your nerves grew in intensity.

But everything is easier in theory than in practice.

“I know,” you whisper, closing your eyes. “I know.”

You can hear the smile in his voice when he speaks next. “That’s why I’m here. Why we’re all here.”

“To knock some sense into me?”

“To do that gently,” he chuckles.

“I don’t know. I might need the force.”

“Well, I can call Damian if you want.”

“I don’t need that much force… on a scale, maybe something like Linda.”

“It’s good thing she and Wally are going to be here soon for breakfast, then.”

For the same reason Steph spent the night and Tim dragged himself out of bed—for your first day of work.

For you.

You pull him into a hug, overwhelmed at the thought and not at all caring about wrinkling your clothes. You can fix that. But this… this needs to be made known.

“I love you.”

He squeezes you—gently, trying to mitigate any wrinkles, and the thought makes your heart swell with unbridled love—and kisses your temple.

“I love you. We all do.”

And isn’t that something?

reblogs are appreciated!

taglist: @peachesona @knoxx-seresinbradshaw @kikis-writing-service @sweetistic @soundsfunbutno @ginevraxrogers @fridaenpina @skcj24 @bath1lda @omfg-its-tay @laughydaphne @fhrjrirj @iamthesimpmother @alittlelateforstars @thaliadoesthings @scarlett13 @zelabee @coffee-love-alltheabove @benstormy @sad-girl09 @lockofspades @thereallchristine @thatonecroc @1lellykins @jelsafan0 @hearttjason @kno-way-home @moniverse05 @bat-h-tic @ghostindeath @escapism-r-us @plnkbees @gabrielle-tia @a-candle-maker @randobeetlehouse @solaris-love @blueberrygeniejam @th1s-b1tch-1s-dead @mel9630 @brb-readingurfic @thetiredtoad0-0 @a-homosexual-homosapien @deadpools-thicc-cheeks @ilovemybabes @beanluvsmilo

#tim drake x reader #red robin x reader #dc comics imagine #tim drake imagine #red robin imagine #tim drake x you #red robin x you #dc comics x reader #batfam x reader #batfam x y/n #batfam x you #tim drake x y/n #red robin x y/n

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soleminisanction · 4 months

Text

So. What actually happened between Secret and Spoiler?

The meat of this story goes down in Young Justice (1998) #30.

Taking place sometime shortly after the YJ crew returns from their adventures in space with Doiby Dickles, the story proper opens with a scene of Steph trying to follow Tim home to find out his identity and getting caught to establish that tension in their current dynamic for anyone who wasn't also reading Robin at the time.

As a refresher, when they decided to date (which was a couple of publishing years back at this point, during the events leading up to No Man's Land) Tim had tried to talk Steph out of it because he couldn't tell her his secret identity and he didn't think that was fair. Steph had responded with, quote, "I don't care about any of that, Robin. I just want to be with you." But she'd recently decided she wasn't happy with that arrangement after all and had been sneaking around trying to learn his identity behind his back.

This issue is very cathartic to me because it's one of the only times she's called out for violating her boyfriend's privacy, which starts here:

Couple of things to make note of here: Greta's not attacking Steph. We'd previously seen what it looks like when she uses her billowing clouds of angry smoke to attack (against Harm and the Pointmen, for example), and that's not what's happening here, she's just really pissed off. Steph is the one who escalates the whole thing to violence with that kick.

And while there is an element of jealousy here -- Secret did follow Robin home to get a look at his girlfriend -- the thing that's set her off isn't seeing Steph with Robin, it's learning of and seeing her self-centered justifications for her plans to continue trying to violate his boundaries. Which, it should also be noted, is something that Secret could do much more easily, but chooses not to. So it probably just pisses her off even more to learn that her crush is dating someone who'd disrespect him like that.

So they take it outside.

Where Greta, despite her anger, is almost certainly holding back because... yeah, let's face it, Steph doesn't actually stand a chance in this match-up. She has no powers, she hasn't even trained with Cass at this point; I don't know where she got that grenade but she's otherwise working with like a red belt in strip mall aikido and a bunch of gear she probably bought out of the back of a magazine. Secret is a sentient hellportal, a conduit between the realms of the living and the dead. She's pissed off, but she's still mostly focused on calling Steph out with her words rather than physically harming her.

Which Steph responds to with, again, a grenade and... this:

Why yes, that sword does come out of nowhere for a single panel and then vanishes into the ether, never to be explained or mentioned again. I find that hilarious. I suspect the script just said "Spoiler cuts the power lines" and left Todd Nauck to figure out how that worked.

But uh, speaking of how that worked -- in Greta's defense for how she'll behave later on in this post, Steph just clearly tried to kill her first. Like. I assume that any grenade a Bat is carrying around isn't so high-powered that it's actually going to hurt somebody if thrown at them directly so for all my joking I'll give her a pass for that, but the power lines?

Steph, of course, has no way of knowing that electricity is Greta's weakness, let alone that it's a trauma trigger for her. But she also has no way of knowing that Greta isn't an average metahuman teenager who would just, y'know, die from being hit with several hundred to several thousand volts of electricity. Which is part of a trend in Steph's characterization -- she's always had a tendency to make rash, dangerous decisions like this and only consider the ramifications after the consequences smack her in the face.

And once again, this is Steph's escalation; Greta only lets loose after Steph tries to low-key murder her. But I did say in my previous post that she was explicitly trying not to kill Steph here, right? That's because she's not:

"Oh," she says, directly to Steph's face. "I'm not going to kill you, but you're going to wish I had!"

The issue ends with Tim giving the girls a lecture about trust that... honestly, doesn't actually make much sense, but it's only there to set up the bullshit Bruce would soon pull in Robin to wrap up the whole Steph-and-Tim's-secret-identity subplot.

Instead, I'll just take this moment to point out that these two pages are the only part that anyone besides Steph and Greta themselves actually saw: Steph, overpowered and running like bugger all while a furious Greta hunted her down. Tim and Red Tornado don't have any other context for this encounter, and anyone else hearing about it would have even less.

We should also probably address the question of whether Greta was actually trying to hurt Steph here and: no, I don't think she was. Not physically, anyway. I think when she tells Reddy that she "just wanted to scare" Steph, she was telling the truth. Which, mind you, means she was going to dump her into a terrifying hell dimension and give her a repeated taste of her own mortality. But it wouldn't have hurt her; it didn't hurt the gang when they teleported through it in issue 19. And, frankly, between this issue and the shit Steph pulls over the course of the Robin issues around this subplot... I think she deserved it.

I never said I wasn't a hater.

Now, to be fair, Steph has no way to know this. She doesn't know Greta, and she doesn't have a reason to think kindly of her. And like I mentioned, it's an important part of Greta's storyarc that her powers and her connection to death makes her friends suspicious of her, and that suspicion sadly drives her to Darksied.

Which is why I'm inclined to think that their next encounters, brief as they are, are deliberately framed. First in issue 50:

And then in issue 54, during the storyline where Secret has allied herself with Darksied:

This leads into Greta basically eating Steph for reasons that don't actually have to do with their conflict -- she's already eaten the D.E.O., ie, the people who held her prisoner, and would continue to eat, it's implied, everyone on Earth except the members of Young Justice, saving them for last as we come to climax of the story. That probably counts as "trying to kill Steph" so technically speaking Greta has tried to kill Steph once, it just wasn't the time everybody thinks about or in a jealous rage. It wasn't personal at all, she was just part of a checklist.

The important bit I wanted to focus on was Steph and Tim's descriptions of their past encounter, and the fact that Greta calls it an exaggeration. With that context, I'm inclined to think that "almost killed me in a jealous rage" is the way that Steph framed their story to other people, not necessarily because she was trying to manipulate anybody, but because that's how she, Stephanie, internalized and interpreted the event.

Because Steph, demonstrably, doesn't think she was doing anything wrong. If she wants something, like her boyfriend's secret identity, or whatever, she will come up with excuses and justifications why she should get to have it ("He's testing me! He wants me to figure it out!" etc.) and no one can change her mind. So it's inconceivable to her that this person who clearly has a crush on her boyfriend would actually be mad at her for the reason they say they're mad at her; clearly, to her, Secret was jealous, and therefore Secret must have been the aggressor. Plus, she was big and scary and Steph (to be fair) had no way of knowing that Greta was mostly just having trouble keeping her emotions under control.

And because nobody else saw what went down between them, people were more inclined to believe Steph's story over Greta's, partially because Greta was clearly the overpowering victor when Red Tornado and Robin arrived on the scene, and partially because Greta's powers mean people, even her friends, tend to be suspicious of her, which is a key point in her personal, rather tragic storyarc.

---

So, to summarize, because I know this has gotten rambly: Greta followed Steph home to investigate her and was angered by her violating Robin's privacy. Steph escalated their dispute into violence, and then further into attacks that could be perceived as lethal until she bit off more than she could chew. Robin and Red Tornado, arriving at the tail end of the fight, only saw the much more powerful Secret overwhelming normal human Spoiler and were therefore more inclined to believe Steph's version of the story which, naturally, framed her as the victim and Greta as the aggressor, when it was in actuality a more even fight fueled by anger rather than jealousy.

#stephanie brown #greta hayes #the secret #spoiler #young justice #dc comics #meta #long post #tim drake #young just us #stephanie brown critical

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fantastic-nonsense · 4 months

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THANK YOU that co-parenting post was driving me crazy

Listen I let sooooooo many obviously fanon-based takes go at this point because not only is it way too much effort trying to respond to all of them, but I'm not that much of an asshole. But then there's just some things that transcend any possible scope of fanon/cultural osmosis-acquired "knowledge" and veer into "you have absolutely no clue what you're talking about and even just reading fandom takes couldn't get you here." And that post was definitely one of them.

Like, if it had just been a crack about the Bruce-Dick-Clark relationship I absolutely would have let it go, because despite it not being canon and Clark textually acting as Dick's pseudo-uncle there's a lot of basis for you to make jokes about Bruce and Clark co-parenting Dick in a lot of older Golden and Silver Age issues, particularly in World's Finest!

And I'm literally writing a fic that, in part, explores how Jason and Talia's canon relationship walks the boundary between "grudging allies and confidants" and "teacher/student" and "my dad's ex/my ex's kid' and "parent/child," so while it's not correct to say that Bruce is "co-parenting" Jason with Talia (he's most definitely not doing so) it's not exactly an objectively wrong conclusion to come to either.

But the rest of them? Just. The most baffling takes on the face of the planet. I don't understand where they got them and I don't understand why they felt so confident stating them the way they did. Leaving out Babs acting as Cass's surrogate mother, saying Bruce was co-parenting Tim with Shiva of all people over Jack Drake and Dana Winters, saying that Bruce was a parent or even a parental figure to Babs and Steph in any way, shape or form, adding in a random Bat-affiliated person as Duke's parent who not only is less than 5 years older than him and hasn't interacted with the core Batfam in nearly 5 years (because John Ridley is holding him hostage over in Jace's books) but has quite literally never canonically shared panel-time with Duke...just wild. Please just acknowledge that Bruce can be someone's coworker and/or mentor without being their parent and that the vast majority of the Batfam do in fact have other parents and parental figures that are not Bruce!

Kind of wonder what it's like in their brain, because I can't imagine the levels of active rejection of the source material required to get to the takes they got to.

#asks #dc fanwank #batman #batfam #dick grayson #bruce wayne #clark kent #duke thomas

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puppetmaster13u · 5 months

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The omegaverse post is getting. VERY long- so I’m swinging into here-

At two-three ish years old, i think Damian would be on solid foods at that point, granted- he did just come from a cloning tube, so he wouldn’t have had any solid foods- but nonetheless, I don’t think Bruce would start producing milk.

Also, Pit rage + Dynamics?

I can see either that the Pit Rage is almost completely removed from the equation due to Jason having grown up with unnatural instincts, (There is a Lazarus pit in Gotham after all, he could have immunity due to being raised in the hellpit that is Gotham) or it’s so much worse.

Jason will either be almost completely uneffected except for being a bit more feral, or will drop into angry ferality at the drop of a hat.

And you know that Tim will end up being smothered by both Jason and Bruce- though, most often it’s Jason because Jason now has a little brother- one that needs his help and protection from his clearly neglectful parents.

Tim has no idea how dynamics work- and While very much annoyed by it, Atleast Jason can teach Tim how to be a proper pup with Steph’s help. (I can see Jason having helped taught Dick when he first came to the manor in a similar way)

And Steph will want to join in. This pack is a mess, but she she still wants to help. While She’s not full Wayne pack, she is definitely on the fringes of the pack. Not as much as Jim, but still there. ‘Sides, it’s fun playing with a big pack like the Wayne Pack! There’s so much chaos and Bruce makes amazing nests.

Also- Dynamic Headcanons time, in order of hierarchy cus why not.

Bruce - Head Omega

Alfred - Elder Beta

Dick - Alpha (Defaulted to Head alpha due to being the only adult alpha in the core part of the pack)

Jason - Pup Omega (Presented)

Tim - Pup Beta (Unpresented)

Damian - Puppy

Steph, Jim, and Barbara are on the fringes of the pack, so their rank in the pack often changes depending on what’s needed. But they default right above the pups more often than not.

Also, I can see all three of them being alphas.

Good idea lol- I'll add links to the previous ones too. 1 2

First of all, yesss. Tim is slowly brought out of his shell and encouraged by the combined might of the entire pack. No, Bruce and Jason are not almost sobbing in relief the first time Tim actually responds like a pup should.

Omg, I absolutely adore the idea of tiny pup Jason helping Dick learn how to pup. Dragging him into wrestles and gnawing at him until he asks him to stop.

I feel like Steph tries to stay on the edge of the pack but slowly gets sucked in lol, not helped by the fact that she's Spoiler. And getting dragged into the Batman's side of a pack too. It is inevitable at this point.

Gosh, what if the pit rage like, he's fine and completely in control as long as there's a Lazarus presence- which is thankfully all around Gotham. But like, if he leaves an area that hasn't had any sort of death-juice corruption he loses it a little bit. Like he has to learn how to control it before he can properly leave Gotham- outside of emergencies where he has a pendant or something with a tiny bit of the Waters maybe?

#ask answered #omegaverse #alpha beta omega #batman au #batfamily #Omg what about Cass #Would she have a dynamic or would she be really good at mimicking one #because that's what she learned from after coming to Gotham so she can for lack of better term switch between behaviors?#idk I am just rotating ideas and just woke up so feel free to ignore lol #honestly i like most of those dynamics #gosh the lazarus pit interacting with dynamics reminded me of a headcanon of mine #like even outside an omegaverse au #where every gothamite has reflective and/or glowing eyes from everything in Gotham #And i just think that would fit for this AU too lmao #Omg there should be a nesting room in the Watchtower #A room with dimmed lights & so many blankets & nesting supplies & a Big nest for a broody bat & the several vigilantes he brings with him

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mstrickster · 4 months

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How do you think the queer batkids would come out to Bruce and the other kids/siblings?

Thank you so much for the question. It has had me laughing for a couple of hours just because I'm picturing it. It is chaotic, to say the least. However let me break it down by each individual.

First off, I don't believe it would ever be an issue telling their siblings. I fully believe the bat siblings are ride or die. Even the ones that have tried to kill each other. So I think that telling their siblings would be very casual. I feel like the big person to tell would be Alfred and Bruce. Bruce, more so than Alfred. With that said, the kids!

Dick: I like starting with Dick. He is the oldest, and I think that's always a good place to start. Now, I fully believe he would have no reason to come out. Not to be stereotypical, but we've all seen The Discowling. No straight man would ever wear something so fabulous. Therefore, I feel like Dick would get a lot of blasé responses. There would be a lot of "yes and"" and "I already knew that." Which I think is hilarious because I feel like he would pout. However, thankfully, that would kind of set the tone for everyone else.

Cass: Cass is the favorite daughter, so I don't think there would ever be an issue with her coming out to Bruce. If she even so much felt like she couldn't, Bruce would just destroy himself. He would be so upset that he did something that cause his daughter not to trust him. On the off chance that didn't happen, she would just come out by bringing home a girlfriend. What are they going to do? They can't fight her.

Jason: Jason wouldn't. Let me explain as an adult, Jason Todd doesn't see the need to bend to anyone. This includes a matter of his relationships. I love Jason and his siblings, but if one of them said I have a problem with you being queer he would probably just call them stupid and walk away. I don't think they ever would have a problem with it, though. So if anyone did find out, it certainly wouldn't be through Jason. Also, I feel like Jason would consider it a fun surprise to pay back Bruce. He would tell Alfred, though, because Alfred is his favorite.

Tim: I fully want to believe that Tim would either do the least or the most. Like he would either tell somebody just randomly out of the blue. It would sound more like he was asking them to go to the store, then he was telling them that he was bi. On the other end, I could see him rigging up the bat computer to display the bisexual flag and just waiting for someone to find it. It would also have his initials right in the center.

Steph: Since she's technically not Bruce's kid, she would see no reason to come out to him. Therefore, I think she would only come out when Cass brought her home as a girlfriend. Bruce would probably ask her why she didn't tell him. To what she would respond, "You're not my real dad."

Damian: I don't think Damian would to most of his siblings. He would tell Dick but it would be in a very formal way. I can just picture him sitting Grayson down and presenting a PowerPoint to explain how he is not straight. As for Bruce, he would probably just drop the news when he couldn't be around to attend a gala because he had a date. I fully believe it would also be very matter of fact. Probably something like "Father, I apologize. I cannot attend the gala for I have previous arrangements with *insert male person here*" Bruce would reply, saying he was happy that Damian felt comfortable enough to tell him. To which Damian would find confusing because how is he going on a date, brave?

Duke: I don't believe that Duke is actually queer. I firmly believe he is on the category of straight person who's on thin ice of the group. However if he was clear and he had to come out I feel like he would overthink it. Like he would want to invite the person he was with to dinner and make it a big spectacle. He would probably stand up against Bruce and tell him that he doesn't care what Bruce thinks and that he is *insert sexuality here*. To which Bruce would reply by thanking him and asking him if he would like a dinner roll.

I kind of wanted to include Harper and Cullen. However, I don't think that either of them would be a surprise. We know Cullen is already LGBT in the comics. So it wouldn't be too big of a deal if Harper was as well. They would probably be the ones that everyone either already knew or guessed. Also, Barbara isn't someone who needs to come out. People come out to her instead. If she did choose to date a woman, no one would say anything because she has all their dirt.

Edit: I found out that Harper is canonly bisexual. So I stand by what I said it would not be a big deal. She's also strikes me as one of those ones who wouldn't feel the need to tell anybody. Her brother wouldn't care, and I doubt anyone else who cares about her would care that she was bi either.

Someone also added the tags that Duke would be kind of that person who's just like go to the flow with his sexuality. Someone who likes who he likes and doesn't fret about the label. I am 100% on board with that.

His only struggle would be introducing the person he likes to his family because they're insane.

#batsiblings #batfam #dick grayson #jason todd #cassandra cain #stephine brown #stephcass #tim drake #damian wayne #duke thomas #barbara gordon #harper row #cullen row

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aanoia · 1 year

Text

Crazy

Kaz Brekker x reader

Summary; the enemy of your enemy is your friend... unless they are also your enemy

Warnings; blood?, knives, uhhhh violence lmfao, enemies to lovers

Words; 2,000+

This didn't end the way I wanted it to but that's okay

The inspo was from the song Trouble by Valerie Broussard

I'm prolly gonna make a pt. 2 bc im cool

Btw,, when introducing the Night Scarlets, each member will have their code name like this, name (code name)

We wear red so they don’t see us bleed

Kaz Brekker hated many, many people. However, there was one group, in particular their leader, that he hated most. The Night Scarlets. Or the Cardinal, their leader. She has been after Kaz since he joined the business. She and her girls have stolen countless of missions right from under his nose, always having his Crows do the work then swooping in and taking over. She infuriated her.

Hundred dollar bills under our sleeve

We intend not to sleep ‘til we’re dead

The thing Kaz never understood was how. How did she know everything he had planned? He had thought it was spies at first, possibly he had a rat in his nest. But no. Even when he went on solo missions. The Cardinal would always know.

Drink our problems right out of our heads

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Trouble

(Trouble)

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Here comes trouble

(Trouble)

“Now, not a word to a single soul about this mission. Hear me?” Kaz asked lowly to his Crows. “If the Night Scarlets find out about this and ambush us I will take each of your hands and shove them down your throats. Am I understood?” The Crows nodded nervously.

“Kaz.” Inej started. “You do know we’ve never said anything before, right? I don’t know how but they always find out, whether we talk or not. She always knows.”

Kaz sighed, “I know.” He answered shortly, turning to look out the window.

Dangerously havin’ the time of our lives

These boys are just poisonous thorns in our sides

“So what do we do about them? I mean, I love the ladies, don’t get me wrong. But these ones gotta go.” Jesper said, toying with his new gun he had just stolen.

“I don’t know if there’s anything we can do, Jesper. They’re practically non existent when they aren’t in action.” Nina responded.

“I mean, there has to be a way to catch them. No one can be completely invisible forever.” Wylan said, his brain running through thousands of possibilities. “Maybe we can set a trap for them?”

Matthias snorted, “They’ll turn that into a trap against us. Bad idea.”

“Well, we need to do something. I need money!” Jesper argued.

“You don’t need it, you’re just going to gamble it all!” Wylan said, raising his voice slightly.

Starting fires wherever we go

Watching ‘em gamble everything they own

The group stopped arguing as the sound of glass breaking filled the room. KAz swung his cane one more time and a strangled bird cry came out. He stuck his hand out the broken window and grabbed the bird. Throwing it onto the table in anger.

“A cardinal.” Inej whispered.

Kaz slammed his hand down on the table, “She knows! She knows! How does she always know!” He yelled, picking up a glass and throwing it all the wall, causing Nina to flinch and Jesper instinctively step closer to Wylan. Kaz looked up with death in his eyes. “Change of plans. We’re killing the Cardinal. No matter the cost.

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Trouble

(Trouble)

“Ready girls?” Y/n whispered into the small, barely workable communication device that her Fabrikator, Aisha (Raven), had been working on for months.

“Yeah.” Luna (Eagle) whispered back.

“Ready, C.” Patty (Hawk) responded.

“Steph?” Y/n asked as she pulled her dark red hood over her head.

A few grunts were heard before Stephanie's ( voice filled their ears, “Yep, ready boss.”

Y/n smiled as she began to climb down the walls of the building to the top window, careful to stay out of the Wraiths' sight. “Great. Let’s commit some crimes. Shall we?”

Stephanie giggles, the clicking of her guns being prominent. “Oh, we shall. Ooo, my fellow sharpshooter, my favorite.”

The line went quiet as Y/n carefully crawled through the opened window, landing silently in the office. She walked briskly to the desk, quietly rummaging through the drawers. She let out a gasp as her arm was pulled back and a familiar cane wrapped around her neck, causing her back to be flush against someone's chest.

Trouble coming in the dead of night

Trouble making everything alright

“Looking for something?” Kaz said quietly into her ear, proud as to finally catch the Cardinal.

Y/n sighed with a smirk, “Yes. I am.” She said before kicking out his leg, being sure to not hit his bad one. He grunted and took a step back, keeping the cane around her throat. She took the chance to duck out of the way and push him back against the wall, raising her dagger in between the two.

“Y’know, I was very offended to find out you killed my bird.” Y/n said, her hood shielding her eyes.

“Should’ve told it to stay away. The Crow is stronger than the Cardinal after all.”

Y/n laughed, “Oh, Kaz. You should know by now strength is not the most valuable trait of this lifestyle. It’s intelligence-” Kaz’s eyes widened.

“In which I’d have the upperhand on both of you.” A new voice said as two arms knocked the dagger from Y/n’s hands, bringing them behind her back and ripping the hood from her head. Kaz stared at her as people grabbed him as well. He had never truly seen the Cardinal without her hood, and he hated to admit how her face made his heart stutter,

It’s in your blood

It’s in your bones

You cannot sleep for

The two hostages were dragged down the stairs to see their fellow partners bound in ropes. They pushed the two down on their knees next to each other, causing Kaz to let out a grunt as his leg bent weird. Y/n sighed, disappointed in her lack to see the real trap behind Kaz’s.

“Well, well, well. Look what I have found.” Pekka said with a disgusting smile, looking at each of the criminals tied up. “A bunch of little thieves who think they are so smart.” Pekka continued on his speech as Y/n struggled with her binds. If only she could reach her ear.

“Kaz.” She whispered quietly, careful to not let the boasting man hear.

“What?” He hissed angrily.

She sighed again, “I need you to kiss my ear.”

Kaz almost looked like he was going to hurl, causing the girl to roll her eyes.

“What the fuck? No way.” He whispered back.

Whoa, oh

Tro-tro-trouble, trouble

“Do you want to get out of this?”

“How will kissing your ear help?”

“Just do it, for Saint’s sake!”

“Hey! Quiet, little bird.” Pekka said, walking over and caressing the girl's face with her own blade. She looked at him in disgust and spit in his face, causing everyone's eyes to widen. Pekka calmly wiped the spit from his face before angrily sliding the dagger against her cheek, slicing her skin.

Y/n smiled at him, “Red is my favorite color, you know?”

Pekka glared at her in anger, “Useless slut.” He said before walking back to his men, pulling them into a circle and talking quietly.

“Now!” She whispered to Kaz who reluctantly brought his lips to her ear, ignoring the water pooling around his knees. His lips met a piece of cold metal and he pulled back, actually looking into her ear to see a weird device.

“What is that?” He questioned, eyebrows raised.

Y/n ignored him, “Raven, are you there?” She whispered to nothing, before a relieved smile came across her face. “Emergency. Help. Now.”

Woah, oh

Here comes trouble, trouble

After a few moments the door of the house burst open, letting in birds of all different kinds, all flocking around and clawing at anything they could get their claws on, Pekka and his men included and targeted.

“Hey, Cardinal.” A voice whispered from behind the girl as she cut her restraints.

“Raven, good timing.” Y/n responded with a smile, taking the dagger Aisha handed her. “Free the other Scarlets. Leave the Crows for now.”

“No, you let us go. I helped you.” Kaz protested as a few of Pekkas men ran out of the house.

“No can do, Brekker.” Y/n said before pulling her hood back up and going to fight off the men that weren’t scared by the birds.

After a few moments a disgruntled, furious yell broke out, “I will get you and kill you all!” Pekka screamed as he ran from the house, scratches littering his skin.

Y/n whistled to the birds, causing them all to stop and fly out the door, their duty finally fulfilled. Her Scarlets stood beside her as she studied the Crows, still tied up and on the floor, a few adorning bird scratches.

“Free them.” She demanded her girls, who broke out in protest. She raised her hand and they silenced. “They will not kill us. They need us, as we need them.” She addressed their concerns and they reluctantly cut the ropes binding their hands. Immediately Inej stood and got into a fighting stance. Her fellow Crows followed after, other than Kaz, who simply lifted his hand to tell them to be calm.

“We need you, do we?” He asked, taking a step towards the Cardinal.

“Yes, as do we, you. Pekka Rollins is, obviously, after us both. We are small groups. Six in yours, five in mine. Rollins has dozens of Dime Lions. It is simply impossible for one of us alone to take him down. You know that, hence why you didn’t let your Crows attack. Isn’t that correct?”

“Unfortunately it is. We shall work together.” Every bird in the room protested. “Until Pekka is down.”

Y/n smiled and held out her hand, “And then you can go back to getting bested by the Night Scarlets.

“I’m not planning on it.” He said, not raising his hand, and Y/n, ever so observant, had noticed his touch aversion ages ago.

“Air shake.”

“No.”

“Come on.”

“No.”

“It’s not a deal unless we shake on it.”

“No.”

“I’ll kill you.”

“No.”

“You don’t have weapons.”

“No.”

“I’m smarter than you.”

“No.”

“I’m cooler than you.” Everyone laughed, even Kaz had let a small, smug smirk fall upon his lips.

“You aren’t.” He said, pretending to shake the girl's hand without touching it.

There are dogs on the loose, there are snakes in the desert (in the desert)

I’m that knife in your boot, girl, I got ya (Girl, I got ya)

I’m your number two man in a fight (In a fight)

“And then, we win. Easy peasy.” Y/n said, finishing explaining the plan to the now group of nine.

“Easy peasy my ass.” Jesper mumbled.

“Language, Jes. A kruge.” Y/n smiled triumphantly as Jesper rolled his eyes and handed the girl a kruge. In the three months the two groups had been working together they had become quite close.

“Oh, yeah. I’m so ready for this. We’re so gonna win.” Patty said with a large smile, her arm linked with Nina’s who nodded along.

Y/n laughed slightly, “We will. Now go. Get rest. You’ll need it. We have a big day tomorrow.”

We are revolutionaries tonight

Singing oh, oh-oh-oh, oh

Trouble

(Trouble)

The office emptied, leaving the Crow and Cardinal. Kaz stared at the map, thinking hard.

“Kaz, what’s on your mind?” Y/n asked, placing her hand next to his to provide comfort without actually touching him.

“We can’t do it. We aren’t strong enough.” He muttered and Y/n laughed. Kaz looked at her in annoyance.

“Kaz. We are just about the strongest lot Kerch has seen. We’ve got this. We’re the coolest bunch in Ketterdam.”

Kaz shook his head with a smile he only let out around her. A genuine, happy smile. “Yes, we’re so cool. Do cool people always talk about how cool they are, though?”

Y/n nodded, “Obviously. Have you met me?” She asked with a teasing smile.

“Unfortunately, I have.”

Trouble coming in the dead of night

Trouble making everythin’ alright

Y/n put her hand over her heart with a gasp. “I’m hurt. You, Kaz R. Brekker, have wounded me right in the heart.” He smiled at the use of his real last names initial, something she had always done once she learned his last name was truly Rietveld.

It’s in your blood

It’s in your bones

You cannot sleep for

“Oh no, Kaz, I'm Feeling light headed.” Y/n said, stumbling back towards the bed. She fell once the back of her calves hit the bed frame. “I see the light!” She said, reaching her arm up towards the sky. “Oh, it’s getting brighter! Kaz! It’s getting brighter!” She portrayed blood spurting from her chest, before spasming and falling limp, her tongue hanging from her mouth.

She failed to hide her smile as Kaz’s oh so beautiful laugh filled the air. It was like music to her ears. Compared to most people, Y/n got through Kaz’s walls rather quickly, which surprised everyone, including Kaz himself. She had provided him a safe space, free from the water and cold skin and lifeless eyes.

Y/n continued to play dead even after the laughter stopped, not failing to hear the footsteps nearing the bed, causing her heart to speed up. In just a moment, a soft hand gripped hers and pulled her body up as Kaz pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you.” He whispered, before quickly pulling away before the water rose above his head.

Heat creeped up Y/n’s neck, “For?”

“Making me look cooler by your loserness.” He simply said before walking out, pretending nothing happened.

Y/n smiled to herself, falling back onto the bed, a dreamy sigh falling from her lips. She kicked the air while giggling in excitement. Oh, how whipped the Cardinal was for the Crow.

Crazy.

Woah, oh

Here comes trouble, trouble

#aanoia #romance #kaz brekker x reader #kaz brekker x you #kaz brekker imagine #inej gahfas #six of crows #six of crows x reader #crooked kingdom #shadow and bone #leigh bargudo #kazzle dazzle #Spotify

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chocor0se · 23 days

Text

excerpt from my reverse robins tim-centric au where tim dies and stephanie tries to kill the joker (it doesn’t work out)

Bruce couldn’t help it as he fell on his hands and knees, pain surging through his body. He needed to get to the Joker before he could recover, Tim would want him to focus on the mission.

He could barely move though, the paralyzation drug was still exiting his body. Bruce tried moving his hand so he could reach for his com and ask for backup(begrudgingly), when Spoiler came down from the previously broken skylight of the abandoned warehouse.

“Spoiler,” He said, voice raggedy, “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here.” Steph didn’t answer, her eyes focused on the Joker’s body as he slowly raised himself up. Shit, Bruce had to get to the Joker fast.

Bruce willed himself to his feet as Steph stared down at the Joker’s smiling face, and that’s when he saw what was in her hand. A gun.

“Spoiler, what are you doing?” He was ignored, again.

Steph slowly lifted the gun, preparing to shoot. The Joker grinned,

“Well well well, looks like one of your little bats has a screw loose, just like me!” The Joker could barely move, he was still on his knees and yet he smiled like he was the one in control here. “Well, do it Spoiler. Shoot me.”

Stephanie’s gaze turned violent, “You..you killed him. You killed my best friend,”

The Joker laughed at her rage, “I honestly expected better than the fight he put off, I guess the little bat was never really good at flying was he?”

“Shut up, shut up!” Spoiler yelled at him, “You killed him, so I’m returning the favor!” She released the safety.

“Spoiler!”

Bruce watched helplessly, his body still-though he didn’t know if it was from the drug or the shock-as he saw Steph aim, and fire.

BANG

The shot echoed throughout the building like a crash of thunder. The Joker staggered as he touched the bullet wound, straight through his right thigh. Even from a distance Bruce saw Steph’s shaking hands.

“Ha! Hahahahahah! I guess even you don’t have the guts to do it, kid,” The Joker giggled, “But seriously, what a show! The way you were so determined to kill me, and you don’t even-“

Black Bat appeared behind him suddenly, knocking the Joker out and handcuffing him. Bruce let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

Cass walked up to Bruce, putting his arm over her shoulders to help him walk. He looked over to Spoiler, but she was gone.

The two bats looked at each other, then the Joker. The GCPD would take care of him, they had a bat to catch.

It took about an hour and a half, but they found her on a rooftop a few streets away. Barely anyone lived in the area, and even less worked there at night.

Steph was sitting on the ledge, her legs dangling over the roof. Her mask and hood were off, revealing the fragile girl underneath.

“Let me guess,” She said, as they had made their presence on the roof clear, “A lecture on why I have to keep the mask on at all times to protect my identity plus one about why we don’t kill?”

Bruce didn’t respond, he didn’t really know how to.

Cass did.

She walked up and sat on the ledge as well, pulling Steph in for a hug.

“Hugs make everyone feel better.”

“Not me.”

“…”

“..Maybe a little.”

Bruce walked closer to his two girls, placing a hand on Steph’s shoulder.

“I,” Steph started, “I wanted to kill him so bad. I was so ready to shoot him in the head, let him burn in hell. But Tim’s stupid voice kept ringing in my head,” She wiped her eyes with a broken smile on her face, “Bats don’t kill. Killing isn’t the right way to do things. He always followed the rules that he thought were right.”

Steph stood up, shrugging Cass away. She was trying not to cry, but tears kept spilling out of her eyes, “Why couldn’t I do it? He killed my best friend, I should’ve done it. I-I-“

Listen Bruce, I’m saying this because I’m dead now, so you won’t have me to help you with this. Please don’t close yourself off. People need you. Your…our family needs you. Don’t be the cold, emotionless Batman or the violent, angry one.

Be the one who took in Duke Thomas after his parents were jokerized, the one who took in Damian, and Steph and Cass and however more kids you’re gonna gain in the future. Please, Dad. I love you, meeting everyone was the best thing that ever happened to me. Goodbye.

Bruce took off his cowl, interrupting Steph’s sentence. And finally, he let himself cry with her. He saw Steph’s shock as the tears started dripping down his face. Tim’s death had broke him, but he would put himself back together for the ones that had broke alongside him.

He could see Steph’s walls break down, and she started bawling. Her face red as she screamed and cried and all Bruce could do was pull her in for a hug, and that was enough for now.

Cass joined them seconds later, her crying less violent but still noticeable. The three broken bats stayed like that for a while, just themselves and their tears accompanying them.

Later Steph would tell Bruce that she couldn’t be Spoiler anymore.

“I made Spoiler with him,” she would say, “And without him I don’t know if I could do it again. Don’t get me wrong though, I’ll still be a vigilante. Tim wouldn’t want me to quit because of him.”

“Then who will you be?” Bruce would ask her.

“…My favorite color’s purple, that’s why my costume’s purple. His favorite color was red.” She’d take a deep breath before continuing, “I’m going to become the Red Hood.”

Bruce would stay quiet a few seconds before replying, “Alright then. I will support you in whatever you need.”

And that’s how the Red Hood was born.

…

Far, far away, Timothy Drake-Wayne would kill his first person, and he would never be the same again.

#could be interpreted as timsteph #but i probably won’t write it intended that way #this is actually all i’ve written…#tim drake #stephanie brown #bruce wayne #cassandra cain #dc joker #reverse robins #reverse robins au #batfam #writing #fanfiction #robin #batman #red hood stephanie brown

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meantaylorsversion · 7 months

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pspspspsps

this but jason pookie bear

in exchange ill write fluff for u [character and scenario of ur entire choice]

Idiots in Love

pairing; Jason Todd x gn!reader

summary; Jason's siblings had enough, they just couldn't stand the pining anymore, so they devised a plan.

warnings; none?

notes; tee hee i hope i wrote everyone in character please let me know! also tumblr works on a reblog system so if you like my work please reblog!!

word count; 1.2k

prompt

Jason sat across from Cass, who was sprawled out on the couch in front of him. "Jay, you like them!" Steph exclaims, who sat underneath Cass's legs. Jason's face turned red and his eyebrows set in a hard look.

"I do not! They are just a friend, Steph! Y/N is just a friend to me!" He repeats, but it sounds like he's only repeating it to himself.

Dick snorted from the chair next to the couch, throwing a piece of popcorn at Jason. "Yeah and the sky is green," Cass nodded from her seat agreeing with Dick, pausing the movie they were watching. The siblings turned to Jason, all with matching smirks on their face. Duke held a sweet smile on his face, before his brown eyes lit up like he had an idea. He walked up to Steph and Cass, whispering in the blonde's ear who then told Cass, Duke then walked over to Dick, quickly whispering while Dick's smirk grew wider, directly staring at Jason.

While Jason wasn't looking at the girls, Steph texted you quickly telling you to come to the manor. You responded fast, telling her you were on your way. You briefly wondered what was wrong but decided it didn't really matter why. Cass giggled quietly as she watched the whole interaction.

Jason's focus was on his brothers, trying to decipher what he should do, on one hand he was comfortable underneath the blanket and in the chair but on the other, he felt like tackling his brothers and making them tell him their plan. With a look like that on Dick's face, nothing was planned to be good. Duke spoke up from besides Dick, almost laughing as he spoke, "Jay, the way you talk about them gives us the impression you want to eat them whole,"

Jason's face turned red, he sputters before throwing popcorn at the two of them. "Not true!" Dick snorted from his chair, before getting up and stretching almost like a cat. Jason rolled his eyes, realizing there was no way they'd finish the movie they started. He stayed in his chair, staring down the girls, trying to see if they'd crack and tell him what was going on.

For the next ten minutes him and Cass stared down at each other while Steph watched from the side. The doorbell rang and Cassandra looked away from Jason to jump from the couch and run to the door, trying to beat Alfred there. You were just standing there in front of the door, wondering what was taking so long. Currently Jason was chasing Cass, almost tackling her to the ground. And he did, but right as Alfred opened the door for you. "Hello, Mx. L/N, wonderful to see you, if you'd excuse me," Alfred greets, before looking down at the siblings on the floor and the rest of them standing behind the two.

"Children please, don't destroy anything in your shenanigans, and please treat our guest kindly," He says before walking off. Jason quickly scrambles off of Cass, brushing his pants off before spinning around to glare at his siblings and then spinning back around to smile at you, almost like a love sick dog. It was sweet, though his siblings disagreed, you were about as thick as a wall, so anything he did you’d interpret as platonic. “Hi! N/N, why are you here?” He asks, subtly standing straighter as he finally looks you over. You were beautiful, even if you didn’t think so, he believed that Aphrodite herself couldn’t even compare to you. Nothing in the world was more precious than you, you were like air to him. He needed you to breathe. You smiled sweetly at him as you took a step into the Manor, you put your coat on the rack before looking at the siblings with a confused look.

“Would any of you like to tell me why Steph texted me like it was urgent I come here?” You ask, trying to understand the situation. Dick looked to his siblings who were in on the plan before he grabbed your hand and led you over to a random room. Jason tagged along, not trusting Dick. He walked into the room with you, like he was going to protect you from whatever plan his siblings had for you. Unfortunately for him, that was exactly their plan, they all knew him well enough to know he’d go in there with you. Before he knew it his siblings were out of the room and had locked the door. He was stuck in there with you. The person he was in love with. Jason thought this was the end of the world for him, you didn’t like him and now you were stuck in here with him!

You banged on the door, shouting, “Guys! Guys! This isn’t funny, c’mon you know of my—” You clamp a hand over your mouth before you say too much. What Jason didn’t know was that you were deeply in love with him as well. Everyone else around you knew that the two of you were in love with each other. Tim spoke from a TV that was in the room, something he hacked into to help with the plan, “Listen up you shitheads, you guys both like each other and frankly it’s embarrassing watching you two tiptoe around each other so either confess or you’re stuck in here,” The TV cuts out and he’s gone, just you and Jason alone. You sigh and turn away from Jason, twiddling your fingers. “Jay, I have no idea what they’re talking about!” You exclaim, laughing nervously.

He laughs with you, hurt in his eyes, “Yeah, they’re fucking clueless, I have no idea what they mean,” He grunts, the shield he never keeps up around you going up. It hurt, but he knew there was no way you’d like him, he was too damaged. He gets up from the chair he sat in and started banging on the door, begging anyone to let you both out. “Guys! When I get out of here I am so gonna beat all of your asses!” He kicks the door in frustration, running his hand through his hair. You walked up to him, softly placing your hand on his shoulder. His body leans into you and he turns around placing his head on your shoulder.

“Jason Peter Todd, I love you with my whole heart,” You murmur, the words flowing out of your mouth like a waterfall you couldn’t stop. He abruptly removed his head from your shoulder, giving you a wide eyed look. You returned the look, almost panicking, you couldn’t believe you said that out loud.

“Y/N L/N I love you to the moon and back, I always have. I have been in love with you since the day I met you,” He whispers, your eyes light up and excitedly, you go up to give him a kiss. Your lips touch in an excitement like all of the yearning you two did all came rushing in all at once. You both separate, foreheads touching as your chests move up and down quickly.

#alex's writing<3 #jason todd #jason todd x reader #jason todd x you #jason todd x y/n #jason todd imagine #dc #dc x reader #red hood #red hood x reader #red hood x you

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impyssadobsessions · 2 years

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Resemblance pls 👀

AH! one of my fave wips >w< kekekekke I'm working out the problems with ages and locations... or if its time travel with it. BUT BASICALLY!!

If Danny 10 Dick be 30 Bruce 46 Jason 25 Tim/steph 23 cass 25 babs 33 Damian 16 Unless time travel which danny could be 14 (Rough calculations.. =w= and it being in bludheaven is the issue kind of) Dick is Danny's bio dad. And mom was actually Catlina Forge (Tarantula) from the rooftop scene. >> the not consensual one. Neither Danny and Dick know this yet though. Dick meets Danny on the streets and after sometime convinces him to come back with him. So Danny and Dick build up this relationship, finding out they like similar things and know each other's secret identity. Danny hell bent on helping Dick because he been doing this vigilante stuff alone. Dick does have Babs searching up Danny, to see what he can do for the kid. Only for them come across the fact he was adopted. Biologically is Dick's.. Bruce is the one to call and tell Dick. (Explaining this first half poorly Imma sorry~) Dick tries to mentally figure out who it could be, almost believing maybe someone stole his dna and made a kid. Supes had that happen- only for a possibility to be stuck in his head. Making him shut down for a few days. AND Now I'll show an excerpt because I wrote some parts of this scene >w<. All can change when I write it but I did write out a few scenes.

“You just puked your guts out, I really don't think-” “I'll be fine, Danny. I can't let a little stomach trouble keep me from protecting people.” Dick kept his back facing Danny. He knew the kid could tell something's bothering him. He just.. couldn't tell him. How could he? Not yet. “Then let me-” “No!” Dick visibly flinched at his own voice, taking a deep breath so he could face Danny. He forced a smile, looking an empty spot beside Danny's head. “Look, Its fine. You patrolled last night. Just stay here, okay? I'll be back at the usual time.” Danny stayed silent, glancing him over, before turning his head to the side in defeat. Dick felt so guilty, but it was pouring.. and he just.. couldn't. Not tonight. He needed to be alone. “Don't get sicker.” the boy muttered. Dick gave a nod, then turned to leave out the window into the dark and rainy night. Praying Danny just stays put as he asked. He didn't want Danny to leave, but it was difficult to be around him right now. If he really was.. Dick felt bile wanting to come up his throat. Shame washing over him, as he grappled to another rooftop, keeping pace. He needed to watch out for crime.. he'll simmer over things later.

Dick perched himself on one of the rooftops, rain pouring down hard around him. It was almost impossible to see. Yet, he watched as his hair stuck to his face, soaked with rain. He should head home. Its been a quiet night, but his mind kept replaying images of that night in his head. His throat swallowed thickly. He felt a figure swoop in beside him. The rain no longer was beating into his back as he noticed familiar cape through the corner of his eye. “What'chu doing all the way out here, B?” “You haven't responded in days.” “Days? That's how long, huh.” Dick knew he should have at least texted them but he didn't want to. Couldn't pull himself to. “Hope you didn't scare Danny or did you use the tracker?” “...Apartment was empty.” Dick's eyes widened as he stood up, returning back into his place in the rain. He searched behind them, furrowing his brows. “Danny. I know you're there.” There was nothing but the rain for a few minutes. “You're not in trouble.” Dick knew the kid was just watching out for him. Still sent a chill up his spine to know he was being watched without knowing it. They heard an audible sigh as Danny revealed himself in his phantom form. He was rubbing his arms and looking at his feet out of guilt of being caught. He floated there a moment, then looked up glancing between Batman and Dick. “Sorry. I know you said.. I just.. I..-i'll just get going.” Before Dick could say anything, Danny flew off back towards the apartment. The word 'wait' uncomfortably stay stuck in his swelling throat as he watched Danny disappear into the dense rain. Dick sighed running his fingers through his hair. He didn't know what to do. Tears pricking his eyes. “Have you told him?” Bruce asked. Dick weakly chuckled, blinking back his tears. His voice breaking as he talked not looking back at the man who raised him. “No.. I ..I couldn't .. I can't If its true then it has to be.. that night..”

“Son.. What did ___ do?” “Oh god, so it is her, Huh?”

Bruce only nodded with a grunt, eyes soft. “Its nothing-” “Dick, you've been shutting yourself in.” “Rich coming from you-” “Please. You don't have to tell me, but at least let us help you. You're not alone, you will never be alone.” “..B.. Dad.. I “ Dick fell face first into Bruce's shoulder and started crying. Bruce embraced his son with his arms, allowing Dick to do the same. Dick gripped tightly at Bruce's cape as he cried. It took him a few minutes before he could gather his voice again. He peaked back at his Father with a sniffle, before finally telling Bruce what had happened all those years ago. --- Stupid. He should have known he overstayed his welcome! Danny knew whatever was bothering Dick... it was about him. He had to leave, tonight. He didn't want to cause Dick anymore distress, besides he probably be better off than to have Danny leeching off of him.

Danny flew straight into the apartment. He didn't have time to change. Just grab his bag and-Danny walked out of the bedroom into the living room, realizing he wasn't the only one there. “So this is Dickie's little side bird?” A guy leaning casually back on the couch with black hair and white stripe. He had a red bat on his chest and a brown jacket. Something was off with him, the white hair didn't seem bleached. At least not by normal method. Danny was sure of it. “You look like you were about to fly the coop.” Said another, black hair boy, he wore a red and black outfit too, but it was more red than black. Danny stood their frozen, as the group stared at him. There was three others who hadn't spoke yet. A girl in black and yellow eyeing him down. A dark skin boy in a yellow suit, and a boy in a red, green, with a black and yellow cape. He looked the closest to his age. They mentioned Dick.. why were they all here in their costumes? I guess it be harder to realize their family. The silence dragged on too long as he heard a cough coming from the dark skinned hero. “I.. I wasn't...” Danny tossed his bag through the door, as he allowed himself to plop his feet onto the ground. “Why are..Who are..” “Big bird doesn't even talk about us!” The black and white haired man mocked as he placed a hand over his heart. “We're Dick's siblings.” “Any reason you all are here.. dressed as...?” “Father thought something terrible had happened to both you and Richard, so we came to investigate. That's when Father found out Richard was on patrol.” The younger of the group spoke, though he sounded quite older. “Oh.. no. We're...” fine wouldn't really be the right word. Danny rubbed his arm awkwardly, “So.. you guys already.. know.. right?” “Yeah, kid. We do.” The man spoke softly. Danny stared at the black and white haired man. His words were sincere as he stared at him. He had died too, that must have been Jason. Danny sighed and decided his escape was post-pone, he might as well get comfy. White rings appeared at his waist then split into two as it washed up and down his form, revealing his human form. “What a costume change, wish my suit was that easy.” Duke whistled, rubbing his eyes. Danny rubbed his arm awkwardly, shuffling in one spot. “This is your home, don't be a stranger. Tim call pizza.�� Jason patting empty space between him and Tim. “A game.” The girl spoke with a smile. “Duke, look under the cabinet, I'm sure Dickie got them some where.” “Ac-actually they're in the coffee table.” Danny pointed out as he shuffled to take a sit, feeling uncomfortable being in the middle. He had to play along, maybe they'll lighten up enough and he can go. Before they realize how much pain he's causing their brother.

--- So he hangs out with them for a little while til he just wants to be alone. So he finally took Dick's offer and tells the others he's stealing Dick's bed for the night. He ends up falling asleep in clothes Dick gave him for pjs, with a picture of the Fenton family by his head because he's really missing home.. not feeling like he belongs anywhere despite how warm everyone was.. he just misses being with his family (even if parents shot him lol) plus just feels lonely.

Dick gets back and the batfam informs him that Danny might fly away so Cass n Duke stays after a debate, they stay in the living room.. and so Dick makes his way to bedroom to change. (Dick having given Bruce permission to let the others know since they both figured they would dig until they found out anyways the woes of a detective family) mix feelings still there. Notices the photo by Danny's head and tries to take a peak, only for danny to wake up. Then an awkward talk, Danny offering to move back to the couch but dick telling him to stay there, duke and cass sleeping in the living room. Danny offering the floor but Dick saying he's not going to make danny sleep in the floor. though it is awkward for him to. Talk about Danny's family a bit before Danny goes to get water while dick changes. Only to break a glass because Cass scares him (she noticed that he seemed prepared to just up and fly again. )-- basically its a night of talking and sharing a bed. cass and duke staying til both dick and danny are up to let them talk seriously =w= though they procrastinate on it longer. But their last night talk did make danny not feel like he has to fly away.. =w= b though dick wakes up from a nightmare danny over heard Duke and Cass had breakfast ordered (bruce's gift lol ) but dick woke up from trauma nightmare and so he isn't feeling it. Saying Danny can have his. Danny argues.. but dick's right, Danny can eat both (probably should) So asks if he wants him to get the cereal. )

#danny phantom #dc x dp #dp x dc #dick grayson #nightwing #batfam #danny fenton #danny is dick's son #worse way possible #they have to work through trauma #so very angsty and healing fic #writing excerpts #came about because I wanted more dick #that sounds awful out of context #and in context #fanfic wip #asks #tw rape

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rhiezus · 1 year

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[ homemade gift ] for my muse to make your muse a gift // NO BC STEPH REALLY WROTE LOVE LETTERS LIKE \! dino x steph

it was safe to say dongyoung had never been so nervous. yes, not even on his debut day, the first showcase of his group, or even in the first show of their tour which more than one thousand people attended. then he had a compromise with these people: the fans, his bandmates that became his family, the staff that helped them get where they were and just making it happen itself was already a dream come true so making it really was exciting, fun, and his life purpose. now this moment of his life was destiny. every decision and every circumstance he took led to this. one of the most important, if not the most, of his life: his wedding day.

how he could let his nerves get the best of him wasn't clear, just this morning he was calm and collected like he had always been but it all became too real way too soon. however actual and incredible this day was about to be it didn't come close to the extraordinary realization of knowing he was marrying the love of his life. it was too grand for him to bare it alone, thankfully he wasn't. not only was he surrounded by friends and family but he had just gotten proof that he never once was, in fact, he was about to never be again.

since the very first day, somewhere between a few years or what it felt like just yesterday. he was so glad he wasn't even looking, it only took a look though for him to know he was in love and he only knew of what it meant to fall when he met her. for her his world started spinning for the first time, set in the stars to do when she came. more than where their story began was the one that was about to be written; the one they were gonna cherish forever, the very same they were gonna repeat to their own children someday. he already knew how it would start, right here in their separate rooms getting ready for their big moment, waiting to set in matrimony their destinated days together. happily ever after moments away.

except this was not after yet, it was still now, and right now at the beginning of their journey was dongyoung holding a carefully written letter from stephanie. he could not deny the little silent tears that formed in his eyes when his soon-to-be brother-in-law handed him the letter like they were sharing a family secret, crossing his eyes in an understanding sentiment. he had shared something more precious than that though now that dino came to think of it. holding the letter in his hands, sitting on the far side of the couch, left in his privacy by his friends and family, wearing his perfectly tailored tuxedo like quite nothing he ever wore before thinking over and over again how much he couldn't wait to marry the woman who wrote this.

he read it at least three times to actually understand the meaning of every word and still did not get a single thing properly. he wanted so desperately to embrace that piece of paper with stephanie's thoughts in it, kiss it, but it still wouldn't compare to doing all these things with her. surprisingly there were no more tears in his eyes, only a big beautiful smile. dongyoung gathered himself with a sign of newfound courage, the courage of a man who knew his woman loved him just as much as he did her. saved the letter on the inside pocket of his jacket close to his heart and head of the door. "excuse me, i don't mean to disturb things but i have to see my bride before our wedding." he wanted to be with her, he wanted to see her, hold her hand and kiss her delicate fingers. he wanted to respond to her in a hug, in a kiss, in a sharing devoted gaze. "it won't take long, five minutes." he told them, waiting for someone to arrange something, anything. before forever could begin, he needed the now and now he had to have her here.

#i-#byee #vou postar aqui e no discord #dino.#dino x steph

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dairy-farmer · 6 months

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I like the platonic yandere route more than the romantic one. Also, for no reason, when I think about it, my mind always goes to Tim Drake as a girl. As a result here we are...

Tim had a dreamy expression on her face

Since the moment they landed for breakfast in the morning, no movement made by his family had met with a reaction except for a small curl of the lips

Dick, as he always did, kissed his little baby on the cheeks the first moment he saw her, but his sister did not try to get up on tiptoe to return the same gift to her older brother's cheeks in response to this gesture that she had been taught

(Even when Tim went out on tiptoe, she wasn't at a level to reach his brother. Dick might have been considered short if Damian's child height was set aside, but Tim was much shorter. So after Dick laughed at his sister's effort, he would take her in his arms, turn her around and listen to her angelic laughter)

Tim did not allow Jason to bury herself in his chest, as he did every time they met, and tried to escape from his hug by gently touching his back

(This was Jason's way of reminding himself of Tim's existence. If he left his little sister alone, bad things could happen to her, but if she lay on his brother's chest and let him have her, Jason could protect Tim from everything)

She didn't even fully pay attention to Damian's tiny hands, which were touching the tip of her jacket and trying to draw her attention to himself

(Damian loved his older sister, even if he didn't quite manage to show it. Soft hands touching his cheeks with care made him feel warm, he felt important under Tim's gaze. That's why he didn't mind acting like a child sometimes to get his older sister's attention for himself)

Even when Bruce stroked her hair, which he did very rarely, she responded by just smiling without blushing cheeks, and everyone knew there was a problem

(Bruce's attention to herself would always turn Tim into her baby Robin area, who is small and shy, who does not see the bad state of the world)

But knowing that there was a problem did not help them to find a solution

Tim was an introverted girl. If they asked her if she had a problem or not, she would try to pass it off and try to distract herself by finding a mission that was done in another city

They needed to get the big guns out so Cass and Steph were called to the manor...

Two of them said they wanted to be independent a little and moved into their own house a few months ago, so they didn't come home so much

Tim smiled at her sister and her best friend who were visiting and said that she started liking someone towards at the end of the day when they started spending together

A civilian boy who has just started a job at the company...

Cass and Steph's eyes were sparkling with anger as Tim excitedly talked about how interesting that boy was, with color coming into her cheeks

Nevertheless, they tried to gather more information, saving what they had to say for later and trying to be a partner in Tim's excitement

Of course, the men waiting in one of the lower rooms of the mansion could not be so calm

How could they be calm when a stranger was messing with their little baby's mind? This wasn't going to be Tim's first crush, his first girlfriend or boyfriend but this was different anyway

When Steph and Tim became lovers, they were both just kids trying to figure out how they felt about the same sex. Besides, the blonde was part of the family, so there was no one trying to snatch Tim away

Maybe the situation with Kon was a little more serious, but almost everyone involved in the heroic business was like each other's family. Kon could have been placed in distant relative status and there was even the possibility that he could be considered as their uncle, due to the cloning study situation and with Clark's not sure whether he considered Superboy as his brother or his child

But a civilian? A stranger who will never understand how hard they work to protect everyone, who is prone to fighting with their little baby and breaking her heart because she is keeping secrets?

They couldn't let that happen. They had to get rid of that child immediately

So how? As much as Bruce hated the boy who wanted to take his daughter away from him, he didn't want any of his children to get their hands covered in blood because of a senseless person

Dick suggested planning for an accident situation. They had to take action before he noticed and would fall in love with his babydoll

They staged a car accident in broad daylight. Besides, they had taken all precautions so that no one would suspect and they had left no trace. All that was left was for the useless little scumbag to die and leave

But the boy who had to stay under the car and die in the hospital had opened his eyes to Tim, who was trying to help him

This had an even worse result because he had fallen in love with the young girl who looked at him with compassion and they had entered the flirting stage

None of this would have happened if they had killed the boy directly, but they still decided to try to stay calm and take a different path. Because if Jason took a gun in his hand right now and blew the boy's brains out with a bullet, Tim would quickly find out about it and hate themselves

When Cass came to them with an important piece of information, that's when a great plan came up

Since Tim wanted to respect his partner's private life at least this time, she hadn't done any research about the boy's life expect one time after their first meeting

So if they found evidence that that asshole was involved in the crime and went to Tim, their little angel would bury her feelings inside without compromising her mission-oriented structure and let them catch this son of a bitch

Barbara created fake documents stating that he was selling drugs to children. Jason was the first person to talk to Tim because this is a topic that he especially cares about

As a result, it worked. While Tim was quietly shedding tears on her pillow that night, Bruce entered his little girl's room and held her tiny body in his arms, talking about how relationships always turned out so badly

In particular, he described the risks of relations with civilians and foreign people. He placed kisses on the lids covering her blue eyes and told that her family would always be there for her and that they would never let her heart break like that again

And as Tim watched the handcuffs tied to the wrists of her short-term boyfriend in the courtroom, she gently put her head on Dick's shoulder and closed her eyes

She was not alone, no matter what her family would be by her side

(And they will never let her go...)

i'm not good at writing fem tim but a yandere situation is always so good!!!!👀👀👀👀👀 the lengths the other bats will go to to keep tim in their grasp while still maintaining this virtuous appearance in front of him👀👀👀!!!!

#answered asks #asks #anonymous

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